Alaska's Salmon Struggle: Who's Really to Blame?

The pollock fishery's impact on salmon runs is surprisingly small.

• In 2023, the pollock fishery caught just 5,627 Western Alaska chinook salmon.
• Compared to 41,365 chinook harvested in subsistence fisheries the same year.

The data is clear.

• The pollock fishery's bycatch is not the main reason for declining salmon runs.
• Impact on coastal Western Alaska chinook: 1.9%.
• Impact on Upper Yukon stock: 0.6%.

The pollock fishery is highly regulated.

• Every single salmon caught is counted.
• Vessels carry observers or electronic monitoring cameras.
• Independent observers at the docks.
• No other fishery in Alaska has this level of monitoring.

Habitat impacts are minimal.

• Less than 9% of the Bering Sea is fished by the pollock fleet.
• Less than 3.5% of that area shows any sign of disturbance.
• Storm events disturb the shallow Bering Sea shelf more than fishing does.

Why are some groups blaming the pollock trawl fleet?

• It's an easy target, but the numbers don't add up.
• For instance, coho salmon declined at the same time as 2.5 million chum salmon failed to return in 2020.
• Coho aren't caught as bycatch, so their decline can't be blamed on the pollock fishery.

Instead of focusing on the pollock fleet, people should be asking what else is affecting salmon runs.

• The money and effort going into anti-trawl campaigns could be better spent on:
• Restoring salmon habitat.
• Understanding other threats to salmon recovery.

The pollock fishery is a model of responsible fishing.

• It sustains communities and businesses in Alaska.
• Every catch reflects a commitment to sustainability and the future of these waters.
• It's time to look at the facts and ask the right questions.