St. Paul, Alaska

Nestled on a peninsula at the southern tip of St. Paul Island, the largest of the Pribilof Islands, St. Paul is a unique and historically rich community. Located 240 miles north of the Aleutian Islands and 750 air miles west of Anchorage, the island spans 40 square miles and had a population of 399 in 2024.

St. Paul’s history dates back to 1786 when Russian fur traders first discovered the island. The relocation of Aleuts for fur seal hunting brought significant social and economic challenges to the community. 

In 1983, the Fur Seal Act Amendments transferred control of the seal harvest from the federal government to local management. This marked a shift towards self-determination and community development. Since the end of commercial seal harvesting in 1985, St. Paul has focused on cultivating a sustainable commercial fishing industry.

Team Members

  • Laresa Syverson

    Community Research Assistant

    Laresa Syverson was raised in Unalaska and the International Port of Dutch Harbor and continues to live there today. Laresa is passionate about Unangan language revitalization and is actively involved with the Tribe of St. Paul and APIA to learn as much as she can. Laresa is also passionate about gathering and expressing traditional knowledge through Art, Story-telling, and Environmental Monitoring Programs such as the Aleut International Association (AIA) data collection program. Laresa advocates that Unangan people be involved in the process of gathering environmental data and traditional knowledge because it builds professional skills and provides an innovative way to learn about the food we receive from our environment and what changes or interactions are taking place. Laresa also learns traditional medicines and chocolate confection from her Mother and is a licensed Massage Therapy Practitioner. She aims to love the work she does and inspire others to love the work they do. Laresa has her Associates degree in Fine Art from IAIA (NM) and recently completed their Museum Studies Certificate program (Fall 2018).