Akutan is the site of an ancient Unangax̂ village, fur storage and trading port located on Akutan Island in the eastern Aleutians, one of the Krenitzin Islands of the Fox Island group. It is 35 miles east of Unalaska and 766 air miles southwest of Anchorage.
After the Japanese attacked Unalaska in June 1942, the U.S. government evacuated Akutan residents to the Ketchikan area. The village was reestablished in 1944, although many villagers chose not to return.
Today, Akutan hosts the largest seafood processing plant in North American, run by Trident Seafoods. APICDA has partnered with Trident in multiple fishing-related joint ventures in the region.
The City of Akutan partnered with the Aleutians East Borough and the Army Corps of Engineers to build a new boat harbor in Akutan. APICDA contributed $750,000 to the project for the design and construction of floating docks, piling, gangway access and the approach platform.
Working to ensure protection of the local environment, the project at the head of Akutan Bay has produced 12-acres of mooring basin and associated uplands that serves local commercial fishermen and other marine related industries. This harbor development will eventually provide mooring for up to 57 large fishing vessels, serve as a place of refuge for disabled craft, and add an important link in the community’s transportation network.
Other APICDA investments in Akutan include the daycare facility, culture camp sponsorships, Fishermen’s Association grants, school grants, the fishermen quota loan program and fuel subsidies.
