A survey of the annual subsistence harvest has been conducted in Alaska since 1985. In general, the subsistence harvest in Alaska is around one percent of the overall waterfowl harvest in North America. The sample frame consists of 26,000 households in the parts of Alaska in which subsistence is legal. Subsistence harvesters record how many birds and eggs of each species they take. The analyses used to estimate the harvest are similar to those used to estimate sport harvest in the United States and Canada, except that species-specific estimates are derived directly from household reports rather than from a wing survey. Participation in the survey is voluntary, and the response rate is about 65%.
The last data was collected in 2011 and this survey may not continue. Goldeneyes are not differentiated.