ABSTRACT
Indigenous people have subsisted on natural resources in the Far North for thousands of years. Although technology has changed and cash now plays an important role, this dependence on resources continues, not only in Alaska Native villages but in many non-Native rural households as well. Approximately 20 million kilograms of wild foods are harvested annually by residents of rural areas. Annual harvest is 170 kilograms per person, compared to 10 kilograms per person for urban areas. Fish provides the largest contribution to subsistence diets throughout rural Alaska. The relationship of household income to the harvest of wildlife resources for Alaskan households is complex. On one hand, full-time wage employment often provides the income necessary to purchase the technology needed to engage in harvesting activities. On the other hand, full-time employment often restricts the time necessary to engage in harvest activities.
