An image of one of the 27 vessels being removed from Metlakatla

Metlakatla, Alaska, July 21, 2026 – The Metlakatla Indian Community is now removing 27 abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) from waterways on the Annette Islands Reserve, a major step toward cleaner, safer waterways and healthier fisheries for the community. 

ADVs pollute Alaska's coastal waters and put commercial and subsistence fishing at risk. The latest removal effort completed July 16 brings the total number of ADVs removed from the area to six, restoring safe navigation, clearing working harbors in Metlakatla, and easing the burden on a remote community with limited resources to tackle these long-standing challenges alone. 

"The Metlakatla Indian Community is built on fishing, and our resources are tied to the health of the environment," said Special Projects Director and Grant Coordinator for the Metlakatla Indian Community Genelle Winter. "Seeing these vessels finally come out of the water is a huge win for our fisheries, our harbors and the entire community. This is what protecting our way of life looks like in practice." 

The ongoing operation, which began in June, is supported by a grant BoatUS Foundation provided to the Metlakatla Indian Community to remove more than two dozen vessels from the Annette Islands Reserve. The project is part of a larger national initiative to remove hundreds of ADVs from coastal waterways, supported by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. 

"Removing abandoned and derelict vessels from the Metlakatla Indian Community, where the health of the water is inseparable from the health of the people, is exactly what this program was built to do," said BoatUS Foundation’s Director of Outreach Alanna Keating. "The work happening on Annette Islands Reserve is a model for how communities can lead on marine debris removal."  

In addition to vessel removal, the BoatUS Foundation's national ADV program maintains a national database to track abandoned vessels across U.S. coastal waters, territories and the Great Lakes. As part of the program, BoatUS Foundation will also host the Turning the Tide Summit, on December 6-9 in New Orleans, bringing together industry leaders, environmental stakeholders and waste management experts to advance removal, recycling and prevention solutions. 

To report an abandoned or derelict vessel in your area, submit a report here. If you're interested in attending the Turning the Tide Summit, register here. 

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ABOUT THE METLAKATLA INDIAN COMMUNITY: The Metlakatla Indian Community (MIC) is located on the Annette Islands and is the only Indian Reserve in Alaska. The Reserve is 20 miles south of Ketchikan, Alaska, and is typically reached by seaplane, boat or ferry. The economy of MIC is tied to fishing, seafood processing, services, tourism and forest products. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population is approximately 1,562, with 625 housing units. 

ABOUT THE BOATUS FOUNDATION: BoatUS Foundation is supporting projects that were selected through their nationally competitive grant program for the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels throughout coastal and marine areas of the United States, including the Great Lakes. In an effort to help educate and prevent future ADVs, the Foundation also created a national ADV database to track the scope of the challenge and measure success, document ADV prevention and removal activities to share with the public and support a national dialogue and education efforts on boating-related debris disposal. This project is supported by a 2023 award from the NOAA Marine Debris Program.