Commercial fishing was based in Bamfield up to the mid-80s, but instead it is now home to several sport fishing lodges, which pursue primarily salmon or halibut. Bamfield is also the northern end of the West Coast Trail, a world-famous hiking trail built in 1907 along the west coast of Vancouver Island to help survivors of the area's many shipwrecks find their way back to civilization. The trail runs 77 kilometres along extremely rugged terrain.
Today Bamfield is primarily a tourist destination, either for the West Coast Trail, ocean kayaking or sport fishing. Bamfield also receives many university students who attend semesters at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
