We’re Alaska pollock fishermen. We make our residing on the water harvesting wild Alaska pollock, America’s largest source of wild-caught seafood. We do that beneath among the hardest situations and strictest administration on the planet. Our fishery helps roughly 30,000 American jobs and is a cornerstone of Alaska’s economic system. Actually, final yr Alaska pollock alone made up practically one-third of the value of Alaska’s whole seafood harvest. This trade issues to us, we’re happy with it, and we’re annoyed by the misinformation we’re listening to about our fishery and the way in which we fish. Individuals say we’re depleting Alaska pollock shares, that our trawl nets are trashing the ocean flooring, or that we aren’t involved about bycatch and different species of fish. As those out on the Bering Sea harvesting with care and intention, we’d prefer to set the document straight.
Sustainable Alaska pollock shares: Science-based limits and oversight
First, we’re not overfishing Alaska pollock. Removed from it. Alaska pollock shares are wholesome, considerable and thriving. Federal assessments present that the species isn’t overfished, and overfishing isn’t taking place. How have we stored it that approach? By following science-based catch limits and strict guidelines. Yearly, after cautious assessment, authorities scientists inform us the utmost secure harvest degree — the suitable organic catch, or ABC. Then fishery managers set our precise quota, the whole allowable catch, or TAC, beneath that quantity — usually properly beneath. As an illustration, in 2025, the Bering Sea Alaska pollock quota was set about 40% below the extent scientists mentioned can be sustainable. That’s why our fishery is commonly held up as a worldwide mannequin for sustainable, accountable administration. We’re happy with it. Backside line: We make our residing on Alaska pollock, so nobody has extra incentive to maintain these shares thriving for the lengthy haul than we do.
Low bycatch
Subsequent, let’s speak bycatch — the opposite marine life that typically find yourself in our nets. We need to be crystal clear: we don’t need bycatch and we do loads to keep away from it. The very last thing we would like is to catch species we’re not focusing on. The Alaska pollock fishery is without doubt one of the cleanest fisheries on the planet when it comes to bycatch — over 99% of our catch is Alaska pollock. Lower than 1% are different species and solely a really small share of that’s salmon. That’s not luck; it’s as a result of we go to nice lengths to keep away from bycatch reminiscent of:
• Actual-time communication: Our captains continuously share information with one another about the place they’re seeing any salmon or different non-pollock species, so we are able to keep away from these “scorching spots.” If a selected space has extra salmon bycatch someday, we keep away from it. If we ever attain our salmon bycatch restrict, your complete fishery shuts down and we’re carried out for the season. You’d higher consider we do all we are able to to keep away from salmon whereas we’re fishing.
• Salmon escape routes: We’ve invested in specialized salmon excluder devices on our nets. It’s like a trapdoor for bycatch – Alaska pollock keep in whereas salmon that discover the opening swim out. Information exhibits the units are making an influence.
• Fixed monitoring: We don’t like bycatch both and we’re held accountable when we’ve got it. Our fishery follows strict protocols that embrace having unbiased federally educated observers on vessels, or on-board cameras to make sure correct reporting, and a public database that information the exact catch for every vessel.
• No-waste philosophy: When some unavoidable bycatch does happen, we be certain that it doesn’t go to waste. By way of the SeaShare program we donate edible bycatch to meals banks to assist feed households in want.
All these efforts come all the way down to respect. We respect the useful resource; we’re on the market for Alaska pollock, and we do all the things doable to go away different species alone. Our bycatch is intently monitored, and, in lots of instances, we’re held to laborious caps — if the fleet ever hits a cap on a species like chinook salmon, for instance, the fishery closes. We work very laborious in order that doesn’t occur. Between the foundations and laws, 100% monitoring from observers and cameras, excluder units and rolling hotspot closures, we don’t know some other fishery that works tougher to forestall bycatch. Maintaining bycatch low isn’t only a rule for us. It’s a degree of pleasure.
Minimal seafloor influence
Lastly, there’s a false impression that trawl fishing means we’re ripping up the ocean flooring. Right here’s the reality: We fish with authorised pelagic nets that reduce our time fishing and reduce impacts to the seafloor. NOAA continuously conducts ecosystem critiques, they usually’ve discovered that when contact with the seafloor occurs, impacts on habitat are very low — however we’re proactively working to know extra about our contact and any impacts, as a result of that’s the suitable factor to do. Actually, only a tiny fraction of the Bering Sea’s continental shelf (solely 5-6%) space is ever disturbed by fishing gear, not to mention pollock trawls. By NOAA’s estimate, the footprint of our fishery on the seafloor is considerably smaller than that of practically some other main fishery. A wholesome seabed means wholesome Alaska pollock habitat, and it’s in our personal curiosity to safeguard that.
We don’t count on a pat on the again for doing the suitable factor. Fishing is our livelihood, and caring for the ocean is simply frequent sense. If we mess it up, we lose all the things. That’s why we go above and past laws on daily basis to maintain the Alaska pollock fishery sustainable. We observe conservative catch limits, we keep away from and reduce bycatch with each device we’ve received, and we fish with among the most revolutionary gear and strategies that spare the seafloor as a lot as doable. We’re happy with what we do, how we do it, and the folks we get to feed.
The following time you hear somebody declare that Alaska pollock fishermen are pillaging the ocean, bear in mind this: nobody cares extra concerning the long-term well being of the Alaska pollock fishery than the fishermen and communities who rely on it. Our crews don’t present up for pulse fisheries to make a fast buck. We grind lengthy months to make wages to offer for our households. Our aim is to cross on a thriving Alaska pollock fishery to the following era — so our children and grandkids have the identical alternative.
Tony Norg of the CV Bering Rose, Guillermo Curiel of the CV Nordic Nury, Brent Hawley of the CV Sea Wolf, Mike Johnson of the CV Viking, Patrick McGrorty of the CV Pacific Prince, Brandon Lynn of the CV Westward One, Scott Symonds of the C/P Alaska Ocean and Jim Egas of the C/P Northern Hawk are based mostly in Dutch Harbor for the Alaska pollock A and B seasons.
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