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St. Paul

Fur seal rookeries and more than 210 species of nesting sea birds attract almost 700 tourists annually to the Pribilof Islands community of St. Paul.

map of st. paul island, alaska

St. Paul is located on a narrow peninsula on the southern tip of St. Paul Island, the largest of five islands in the Pribilofs. It lies 47 miles north of St. George Island, 240 miles north of the Aleutian Islands, 300 miles west of the Alaska mainland, and 750 air miles west of Anchorage. See a larger map of St. Paul

st. paul island, alaskaAlthough subsistence has not historically been the focus of the local culture, today halibut and seal are shared and exchanged with relatives living in other communities for salmon and reindeer.

The Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Islands, a federally-recognized tribe, is located in the community. It is part of the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association.

Find out more about St. Paul, and learn more about the St. Paul Island Fur Seal Disentanglement Project.

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Scenes from St. Paul Island. Photos by Mike Downs.

The community is a port for the Central Bering Sea fishing fleet, and major harbor improvements have fueled economic growth. Trident Seafoods and Icicle Seafoods process cod, crab, halibut and other seafoods in St. Paul. Several offshore processors are serviced out of St. Paul. The community is seeking funds to develop a halibut processing facility.

There is also a reindeer herd on the island from a previous commercial venture. Residents subsist on halibut, fur seals, reindeer, marine invertebrates, plants and berries.

 

Photo of St. Paul by Mike Downs.