Regions remoteness produces challenges: the largest city in this region faces high unemployment numbers and substance abuse issues.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: REGIONAL REVIEW

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Western Alaska represents one of the more remote regions of the state. Few roads exist between the communities, virtually isolating all of the towns and villages from each other, making air transportation a necessity in the region. Alaska Airlines and regional airlines such as Pen Air and Era Aviation provide air transportation to the larger towns in the region, and smaller carriers and air taxis serve the villages and other remote areas.

The Western Alaska coastline, which borders the Bering Sea, is nearly tree-less. However, the Bering Sea is home to some of the greatest fishery resources in the world, including pollock, herring, Pacific cod and the prized Alaska king crab. It also has an abundance of humpback, gray and killer whales, as well as sea lions, seals and sea otters.

On land, brown bears roam throughout the region, along with moose, caribou and wolves. National wildlife refuges in Western Alaska provide nesting grounds for millions of migratory birds. The region features vast national parklands such as Alaska's largest state park, Wood-Tikchik, near Dillingham. Other prominent communities in the region are King Salmon and Bethel.

Western Alaska is a resource-rich area that relies on various forms of fishing, according to Brigitta Windisch-Cole, an Alaska Department of Labor economist who focuses on Southwest Alaska. In the southern part of the region, commercial fishing is the principal industry; further north, subsistence fishing is more prevalent. In fact, many villagers in Western Alaskans derive a large part of their food from subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering. Salmon, freshwater fish, game birds and berries form a significant part of their diet.

The remoteness of Western Alaska has a substantial impact on the region's economy. The price of goods is significantly higher than in other parts of the state because of the reliance on air transportation, so relatively few locally consumed goods and services are provided in the region.

Most communities in Western Alaska also have limited employment sources due to their remoteness. State, federal and local governments provide the majority of the local jobs, including land managers, health care providers, school workers, utility operators, airport personnel and military personnel. The lack of jobs leads residents of smaller communities to seek work in the larger regional centers in Western Alaska where more services, retail centers and government...