Tag Archives: trawl fisheries
A Rebuttal to a Recent Commentary: Alaska trawl fisheries are vital and under attack by those using myths
This campaign to ban trawling – a sustainable fishing method responsible for a substantial majority of fishery landings in the Alaska Region and nationally – poses a direct threat to Alaska’s coastal economy, seafood sector and way of life. If you enjoy wild seafood – fish sandwiches or shrimp; fish sticks or scallops; fish tacos or rockfish – you are enjoying seafood caught by “trawl” or “dredge” fishing gears that touch the seafloor. It’s true that these fishing methods, like every farm, aquaculture facility and fishing operation on the planet, impact the environment. But, what’s also true is that the impacts of trawl fishing in Alaska are continually monitored to ensure long-term ecosystem health. The recent commentary authored for the Alaska Beacon by Heather Sauyaq Jean Gordon and David Bayes is the latest effort to demonize sustainable trawl fisheries. Like other attacks on our sector, the commentary comes from a vocal few that play fast and loose with the facts. By Sam Wright, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:43
Unalaska, Aleutians East Borough oppose Rep. Peltola’s proposed trawling limitations
Communities in the Aleutians are pushing back against proposed legislation that would bring stricter regulations to the Bering Sea trawl fishery. The City of Unalaska and the Aleutians East Borough are among 53 organizations that signed onto a letter sent to U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, urging her to withdraw H.R. 8507, a bill she sponsored in May. The proposed legislation aims to add new regulations to where trawling can take place across the United States, not only in Alaska. Trade organizations and some coastal communities whose economies rely on trawl fisheries have pushed back against the bill, asking the congresswoman to repeal it. “If enacted, H.R. 8507 would directly harm fishermen and coastal communities in Alaska and throughout our nation, along with countless other people who rely on a healthy domestic seafood sector for food, jobs, and their way of life,” the letter said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:28
Bycatch task force works to refine mission ahead of November deadline
Bycatch is when fishing vessels catch something they’re not targeting. It could be tanner crab caught in a black cod pot, or halibut scooped up in a pollock trawl net. It’s been an incendiary issue in Alaska’s fisheries for decades. Now, as stocks of crab, salmon and halibut decline, trawl fisheries have come under fire for their role, which represents the vast majority of incidental catch in and around Alaska. The governor’s office took notice. Gov. Mike Dunleavy established a task force to review bycatch late last year with a deadline of November to submit its recommendations. But during that time, the Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force also has to establish its own priorities, break into subcommittees, and decide what it’s going to focus on before its mandate expires in just nine months. And there’s a lot of information to sort through already as it plays catch-up. >click to read< 11:01
