The Gustavus economy is strongly linked to the surrounding natural
resources; tourism and commercial fishing are mainstays. However, the
importance of commercial fishing is in decline, as the Dungeness crab fishery
in Glacier Bay National Park was closed in the early 2000s and the fishing for
Dungeness outside of the national park has become poor. Salmon and halibut
remain as the primary catch of the commercial fishing done out of Gustavus.
Those not involved in tourism or seafood typically work for the government at
the public school, the post office, the National Park Service, or the City of
Gustavus
