386 



All three drainages in the area each produce 10,000-50,000 

 pink salmon and over 6000 chujti salmon in an average year and 

 also support cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden. The 

 extensive intertidal sedge-grass flats support spring 

 concentrations of brown bear and spring and fall 

 concentrations of migratory waterfowl. There are moderate 

 populations of deer. Information on the population status 

 of other species is lacking. 



Tenakee Springs residents rely heavily on the area for the 

 harvest of deer, waterfowl, furbearers, and shellfish. 



Kadashan River 



The Tongass Land Management Plan rated the drainage the 

 highest value for fisheries and estuarine resources. The 

 ADFiG rated the area as the highest class for fish and 

 wildlife production. It is an important harvest area for 

 residents of Tenakee Springs as well as the basis for a 

 large commercial fishery and non-local hunting and sport 

 fishing. The ADF&G/U.S. Forest Service have monitored pink 

 and chum salmon escapements into the Kadashan River since 

 1969 and the out-migration of the juveniles since 1977 to 

 predict the run strength and manage the commercial salmon 

 fishery in the general area. Since no other stream in 

 northern southeast Alaska has this quality of data, 

 maintenance of this drainage in its natural condition is 

 very important to the management of the salmon fishery. 

 Research has also been conducted in this drainage on coho 

 salmon, deer, and brown bear. 



Kadashan is one of the top five producers of pink salmon in 

 southeast Alaska, with a peak recorded escapement of 282,000 

 and average escapement of over 130,000 fish. It is among 

 the top ten chum salmon streams in southeast Alaska, with a 

 peak recorded escapement of 66,000 and average escapement 

 of 25,000 fish. Coho salmon escapement is estimated at 

 2000-4000 fish. The drainage also supports rainbow, 

 steelhead, and cutthroat trout and very high numbers of 

 Dolly Varden. 



Kadashan has one of the largest estuarine sedge-grass flats 

 and intertidal mud flats in northern southeast Alaska. This 

 extremely productive habitat is a major nursery for 

 Dungeness crabs, important herring spawning area, major 

 spring and fall feeding and resting stop-over for migratory 

 waterfowl, and brown bear concentration area during spring. 



The Kadashan drainage supports one of the highest 

 concentrations of brown bears in southeast Alaska. Deer, 

 marten, mink, land otter, red squirrels, and bald eagles are 

 also abundant. Large numbers of seals are attracted to the 

 abundant salmon as they mill around the mouth of the river. 



The commercial fishery based on Kadashan salmon is typically 

 worth over a million dollars annually to fishermen. 

 Residents of Tenakee Springs depend on the area for the 

 harvest of deer, salmon, shellfish, and furbearers. The 

 ADF&G classifies the Kadashan River as the highest quality 

 for sport fishing. 



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