Federal fisheries managers have given the Bering Sea pollock industry until the December of 2025 to develop spatial closures for the 2026 groundfish A season to protect Bristol Bay red king crab.
The decision reached by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) at its June meeting in Oregon is based on new winter pot surveys, tagging data and other recent data sources, the council said in its motion of June 8. The council requested information from the industry to be presented at its December meeting in Anchorage.
The council also acknowledged the lengthy Pelagic Trawl Gear Innovation Discussion Paper available in May and requested an update on the progress of that initiative at its meeting of April 2026, by which time the field study portion of the protect for catcher processors is expected to be complete.
The council urged the industry gear innovation initiative workgroup to identify specific gear modifications, fishing practices and/or technology that further minimizes impacts on areas that the council has identified as meriting protection from bottom contact. It also resolves uncertainty regarding potential unobserved crab mortality from crab/pelagic trawl interaction.
Meanwhile, the motion approved by the federal fisheries managers directed NPFMC staff to prepare a document to include timelines and milestones on the Gear Innovation Initiative and other new research to fill the data gaps for pelagic trawl gear identified by the Unobserved Fishing Mortality Working Group.
The NPFMC’s action has drawn criticism from SalmonState, the Alaska-based nonprofit that works to protect wild Alaska salmon and healthy spawning habitat.
In a statement issued June 11, SalmonState said the council has once again postponed meaningful action to update its definition of “pelagic trawl gear” and that the council is continuing to allow midwater trawl gear to contact up to 100% of the area fished with the seafloor.
“Far away and out of touch, that’s how I would summarize the recently completed NPMC meeting in Newport, Oregon,” said Tim Bristo, executive director of SalmonState. “The council’s inaction in the face of the informed testimony of concerned Alaskans is disappointing but no longer surprising. When common sense adjustments and desperately needed changes to trawling are deemed ‘impracticable’ due to their potential negative impact to trawler profits, it’s hard not to conclude that industry now owns this process.”
Bristol said that it is undisputed by the pollock industry, council members and NOAA Fisheries that midwater trawl gear hits the seafloor while trawlers are fishing for pollock.
“By calling the fishery ‘pelagic’ or ‘midwater,’ the public is being deceived as to the nature and impacts of pollock fishing in Alaska’s waters,” Bristol said.
