Pearse Canal is a channel or strait forming part of the

Canada–United States border The international border between Canada and the United States is the longest in the world by total length. The boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Canada' ...

at the southern end of the Alaska Panhandle and adjacent to the mouth of Portland Inlet. It is on the northwest side of

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and Pearse Islands, which are in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada, and forms part of the southwestern edge of Misty Fiords National Monument in

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, United States. The southwest entrance to the strait is between Phipp Point and Maie Point, both in Alaska.

Name origin

The strait was named by Captain Daniel Pender in 1868 as part of surveying of the coast, in association with Pearse Island.

International boundary

Pearse Canal was established as part of the Canada-United States border as part of the outcome of the Alaska boundary dispute with the Hay-Herbert Treaty, otherwise known as the Alaska Boundary Settlement, of January 24, 1903. US claims had included Wales and Pearse Island. Under the terms of the treaty, Pearse Canal along with Tongass Passage (due west of Canada's Wales Island) and the Portland Canal is defined as "Portland Channel", a term which was established as defining the boundary by the Anglo-Russian Treaty of 1825 but which remained undefined and not on maps until this time. Disputes over the meaning of the term were pivotal to the eventual settlement of the boundary in this region. A varying interpretation maintained the meaning was Clarence Strait, while the original US interpretation interpreted it as south of Wales Island.

References

Straits of British Columbia Canada–United States border Straits of Alaska International straits Bodies of water of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska North Coast of British Columbia {{BritishColumbiaNorthCoast-geo-stub