Trawlers Get New Restrictions on Gulf of Alaska Salmon Bycatch

June 11 Managers are attempting to limit the number of Chinook Salmon Gulf of Alaska trawlers can take as bycatch.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council recently passed a lower limit on the bycatch of fish which will be formerly adopted by the federal government in a year and a half.

The trawl fleet is made up of about 50 vessels that fish for cod and rockfish. The fleet catches between 3,000 and 10,000 fish as bycatch annually. The council had to decide on a number that would stop fishing altogether.

The debate was between conservation groups and fleet representatives. Conservation groups wanted a low number and fleet representatives cited the economic harm to coastal communities. The council settled on 7,500 as the new cap.

Council members, Alaska Fish & Game, and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife representatives all considered the conservation-shoreside processor employment issues in the debate.