The beach at Stebbins is naturally a focal point for the people of Stebbins with their subsitence lifestyle. Much of their food and travel depends on the ocean. In the summer they put out subsitence nets for silver salmon on the beach and in the rivers to the South. They also hunt marine mammals, seals and beluga whale, and migratory birds. In the winter the frozen ocean is used for a 'highway' for hunting and travel to and from neighboring villages. Villagers fish through the ocean and river ice for fish and through the ocean ice for king crabs.
The beach at Stebbins. Stuart Island, which belongs to the Stebbins Native Corporation can be seen to the NorthWest. The net in the picture is my fishing buddies and my 50 foot subsitence salmon net. We supply all of our individual needs/wants for salmon as well as have enough to give large amounts away to locals. We often catch 20 to 40 silver a day when they are running in August and September.
Teachers picking fish from the net.
We have finished picking the net and have put it back out. We are still on the beach, visiting and enjoying the grandeur of one of God's creations, Stebbins, Alaska.
