Egegik Bay facts for kids

Egegik Bay (Yup'ik: Igyagiim painga) is a bay located just 69.1 miles from Dillingham in Alaska and the northeastern arm of the Bristol Bay. The Egegik (Igyagiiq in Yup'ik) village is located on a high bluff along the southern shore of the Egegik River at the upper extent of Egegik Bay. The nearest places to Egegik Bay are Coffee Point (3 km north), Coffee Point (4 km north), Goose Point (4 km north), Egegik Airport (5 km west), and Bartletts Airport (6 km north).

History

The first recorded contact by non-Natives was with Russian fur traders between 1818 and 1867. The Egegik Yupik is one of the five Central Alaskan Yup'ik dialects. Local people are Central Alaskan Yup'ik people and would travel each year from Kanatak (an Alutiiq village) on the Gulf coast through a portage pass to Becharof Lake (south-east of Egegik). From there they would hike or kayak on to the Egegik Bay are for the summer fish camp.

Nature

Although tideland areas adjacent to the coast are important for providing habitat to some species of birds as well as harbor seals, by far the most important and sensitive habitat area occurs at the mouth of the Egegik River within Egegik Bay. The remainder of Egegik Bay is included within tideland management unit R12T-02 and contains extensive areas of eelgrass, harbor seal haulouts, and waterfowl use. Beluga whales are present in the northern part of Region 12, although Egegik Bay is not known to contain calving areas.

Fishing

The Egegik Community (R12T-03) is a major commercial Pacific salmon fishing area. Pink, chum, sockeye, coho and chinook salmon are harvested (drift net) commercially in Egegik Bay (R12T-01 & R12T-02) and at the mouth of the Egegik River. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including coho salmon, dolly varden and pink salmon here.