Port Camden is an embayment on the northeast coast of Kuiu Island, approximately 36 miles (58 km) south-southwest of Petersburg and 61 miles (98 km) northwest of Wrangell, Alaska. Kuiu Island lies between Kupreanof Island to the east and Baranof Island to the west. The island is 65 miles (105 km) long and 6 to 14 miles (10 to 23 km) wide, and it is nearly divided in two by Port Camden and the Bay of Pillars. Joseph Whidbey and James Johnstone, part of Captain George Vancouver‘s crew, first charted the island during the 1791-95 expedition. Vancouver named Port Camden on August 10, 1794, likely in honor of Charles Pratt, the Earl of Camden at that time.

Intertidal stone fish traps, used worldwide for thousands of years, are found in Port Camden. Remains of historic and prehistoric structures are still visible near salmon streams from Washington to Alaska. These traps come in two basic designs: a straight wall acting as a weir and a less common semi-circle or V-shaped structure. These semi-circle and V-shaped traps are open on the upper side facing the shoreline. The lowest point in the arc of the semi-circle or the tip of the V is nearest to the low-water line where a circular basket trap was likely inserted in the gap to capture fish. 

Traps were constructed at various levels in the intertidal zone, creating a terrace-like pattern. This arrangement allowed fishing at different tidal heights, enabling it to continue throughout the six-hour ebb tide. The cascading structures at the site demonstrate ancient ingenuity in sustainable fishing practices and reflect a deep understanding of tidal patterns and fish behavior. Their presence today offers insight into the resourcefulness and adaptability of early fishing communities. Read more here and here. Explore more of Port Camden and Kuiu Island here: