Western Alaska tribes ramp up pressure on fishery managers and trawlers over bycatch concerns

Alaska and Canada recently signed a new international management scheme, barring residents along the Yukon River from fishing for king salmon for at least seven more years due to a crash in king salmon populations. Tribal leaders from the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers have been testifying to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council about the devastating cultural losses they face due to the absence of salmon, blaming the largely Seattle-based trawl fleet for accidental bycatch of salmon.

The trawl industry contends that measures favored by tribes to crack down on bycatch could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars, with minimal benefits to the salmon population returning to Western Alaska rivers. The industry currently harvests more than 2 billion pounds of pollock each year, which is valued at $1.5 billion wholesale.

Both sides are presenting their arguments at the council meeting this week, where the debate has gained urgency as subsistence harvesting bans persist. The council is reviewing various chum bycatch management options, from no action to strict yearly caps. While tribal leaders are pushing for a hard cap on chum bycatch like the one on king salmon, the industry prefers voluntary legal contracts as more adaptable measures.

The council’s decision will have significant implications for both the industry and tribal communities heavily dependent on salmon for subsistence. Despite efforts from the trawl industry to reduce bycatch, tribal leaders and the Biden administration are urging the council to consider lower chum bycatch limits to address the ongoing salmon crisis effectively. The final decision will impact the delicate balance between economic interests and sustainable practices in the Bering Sea fisheries.

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