Small-boat Harbor


In Cordova, the standard greeting among locals is ‘Been fishing?’ Unsurprisingly, the harbor is the community’s heart, humming throughout the season as fishers frantically try to meet their quota before the runs are closed. Watching over the hubbub is the Cordova Fisherman’s Memorial, a quiet place dominated by artist Joan Bugbee Jackson’s sculpture The Southeasterly (1985), and spotted with flower bouquets.

The fishing fleet is composed primarily of seiners and gillnetters, with the method used by the fishers determining the species of salmon they pursue. The former primarily target pink salmon, while the latter, generally one-person operations, go for kings and reds early in the season and silvers later on.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Prince William Sound Science Center

0.08 MILES

This dockside research facility offers themed ‘Discovery Packs’ for kids, which include information on the birds, flora and geology of Cordova. Inside the…

2. Salmon Canneries

0.15 MILES

Every summer Cordova’s population swells with young idealists, opportunists and stragglers hoping to make a mint by canning salmon on 16-hour shifts…

3. Cordova Museum

0.23 MILES

Cordova's Museum has been relocated to new digs in the impressive Cordova Center. It was on the cusp of opening at the time of research and was due to be…

4. Cordova Fisherman’s Memorial

0.26 MILES

Standing sentinel over the small-boat harbor, this bronze study of a fisherman at the wheel of his trawler in inclement weather was commissioned in the…

5. Ilanka Cultural Center

0.28 MILES

This compact museum operated by local Alaska Natives has a small but high-quality collection of Alaska Native art from all over the state. Don’t miss the…