At Sitka Seafood Market, our connection to Alaska’s lands and waters runs deep. The wild seafood we share with our members begins in the pristine ecosystems that define our home — and few places embody that connection more powerfully than the Tongass National Forest. This vast temperate rainforest is more than a backdrop to our fisheries. It’s the foundation of a living system that sustains salmon, communities, and cultures across Southeast Alaska.
The Tongass: Where Forest and Fisheries Are One
Spanning nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass is the largest national forest in the United States and one of the last great temperate rainforests on Earth. Its towering spruce, cedar, and hemlock trees capture enormous amounts of carbon and play a vital role in regulating our global climate.
But what makes the Tongass truly extraordinary is its connection to the sea. The forest’s rivers and streams nurture millions of wild salmon, which in turn feed bears, eagles, and countless other species. These salmon also carry vital nutrients from the ocean back into the forest — an exchange that has sustained both land and sea for millennia.
For Alaskans, my family included, and for the small-boat fishing families we work with, the Tongass is more than a forest. It’s the lifeblood of the fisheries that provide sustainable food for our communities and for tables across the country.
The Roadless Rule: A Lifeline for Wild Habitat
In 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule — known simply as the Roadless Rule — was adopted to protect the most undeveloped portions of national forests from new road construction and large-scale industrial logging.
In the Tongass, these protections cover over nine million acres, preserving intact habitat that keeps salmon streams clean, cold, and connected. The Roadless Rule has long been a cornerstone of Alaska’s
conservation framework — balancing ecological health with sustainable use.
However, these protections have faced repeated threats. In 2020, the Tongass was exempted from the Roadless Rule, opening vast areas to potential development. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reinstated the protections, recognizing the importance of the Tongass to fish habitat, carbon storage, and local economies.
Now, those safeguards are again under threat.
More than 14 million acres of undeveloped roadless areas in Alaska — including much of the Tongass — are at risk as the USDA moves to rescind roadless area protections from 45 million acres of national forest lands nationwide. If enacted, this rollback could once again open the Tongass to industrial activity that undermines the health of fish habitat, clean water, and the communities that depend on them.
At Sitka Seafood Market, we believe the Tongass represents one of the most powerful examples of what healthy, intact ecosystems can achieve — and why they must be protected.
Why the Tongass Matters for Wild Seafood
The Tongass is inseparable from Alaska’s wild fisheries. Its trees stabilize stream banks, filter water, and shade salmon-bearing rivers — ensuring conditions where fish can thrive.
Every salmon that begins its life in a Tongass stream contributes to the health of the entire ecosystem — feeding wildlife, nourishing the forest, and supporting coastal communities that depend on fishing for both food and livelihood. Healthy forests mean healthy fisheries. When we protect the Tongass, we protect the natural systems that make truly wild, sustainable seafood possible.
A Call to Protect Wild Fisheries Habitat
The future of Alaska’s wild fisheries depends on the health of the lands and waters that sustain them. Everyone — from policymakers to seafood lovers — has a role to play in ensuring that future:
- Support science-based conservation policies. The Roadless Rule is one of the most effective tools for safeguarding habitat and ensuring fisheries remain sustainable for generations.
- Choose responsibly sourced seafood. Every purchase from community-based fisheries — like those connected with Sitka Seafood Market — helps maintain a balance between people and the planet.
- Stay engaged and informed. Public participation matters. Lend your voice to policies that prioritize clean water, healthy habitat, and the long-term health of wild fisheries.
Looking Forward
The Tongass National Forest stands as one of the world’s greatest examples of nature’s balance — where ancient trees, salmon streams, and human communities coexist in a shared rhythm.
At Sitka Seafood Market, our mission is to honor that connection by supporting responsible fisheries and advocating for policies that protect the ecosystems sustaining them.
Because when we protect the Tongass, we’re not just protecting trees — we’re protecting the foundation of Alaska’s wild seafood, the communities that rely on it, and the promise of a truly sustainable future.
Protect the Tongass. Protect wild fisheries. Protect what connects us all.
Giving Tuesday
Sitka Seafood Market is excited to partner with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) this Giving Tuesday to help raise money for their advocacy efforts to protect the Tongass against the renewed threats against the Roadless Rule.
We're proud to be part of their $12k match this year. Donate now through December 2, 2025 and your donation will be matched. For more information and to donate, click here.
