NPFMC Urges Pollock Industry to Reduce Bycatch, Declines to Impose Restrictions
Federal fisheries managers have acknowledged the ongoing crisis in Alaska salmon stocks, and have opted to respond with additional research and a request to the Pollock industry to institute immediate measures to reduce chum bycatch during the summer fishery.
At its June meeting in Sitka, Alaska, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council requested a discussion paper on chum salmon bycatch building on the previous analysis, which was performed in 2012. But for now, the council has opted not to impose new restrictions that would impact the Pollock trawl vessels whose bycatch of chum salmon in 2021 reached 546,043 fish.
Additionally, the Pollock industry was asked to report back at the end of the B season on how bycatch reduction efforts worked.
During the meeting, the council...