The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, meeting in Anchorage, just voted 8-3 in favor of a complex motion setting an overall bycatch cap of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery.
Good work by the council dealing with a really tough issue. The draggers probably aren't happy (nor are the NGOs) but at least the council had the brain power of a few members to come up with a solution that didn't allow hatchery fish to shut down plants. Gonna be sad in 2 years when all those brains are gone and they're replaced by hacks.
I agree, this was a really tough issue and thankfully those three very smart ladies serving on the Alaska side made lemonaid out of lemons. Hats off to them for avoiding making bad decisions on this issue.
They were in a very difficult situation with no good choices. I'm sure they'll get plenty of flack from all sides. It really is too bad more Alaskans don't realize the quality of people representing them on that body to navigate some of the toughest fisheries policy issues of our time.
But hey, it's an election year and people are upset about a lot of issues. Giving credit for wonky fisheries policy doesn't drive clicks or voter turnout, so here we are...
At one point during public testimony, tribal dancing broke out in the council meeting room. Numerous Alaska Natives urged the council to adopt tight limits on trawl chum bycatch, describing the heartbreaking effects of salmon deprivation in their villages.
Jon Kurland, who heads the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska, said this during his closing statement on the council motion:
"Throughout the development of this action over the past few years, I haven't heard anyone question the seriousness of the salmon crisis in Western Alaska. But clearly there are differences of opinion over the extent to which reducing bycatch may help salmon runs to recover. The science is clear that unfavorable ocean conditions rather than bycatch are the dominant forces affecting salmon returns."
And thank god for that. The politicians really showed how out of their depth they were on this issue. Alaskan fishermen should be frightened. Wait till they turn on you, Ifq halibut.
Andrea Keikkala, executive director of United Catcher Boats, provided the following statement on the council's action:
"UCB appreciates the council's thoughtful work on this issue. Western Alaska chum salmon are critically important to many communities, and we recognize that responsibility.
"This is a challenging action, but it builds on tools our fleet is already using such as salmon excluders, real-time avoidance, genetic data, and strong IPA (Incentive Plan Agreement) accountability requirements. We believe incentive-based management works, and this framework reinforces that approach. It will require discipline and continued collaboration, but our fleet has a strong track record of adapting and reducing bycatch. We're committed to making this work while sustaining a responsible pollock fishery that supports jobs, food security, and coastal economies."
From the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission's Facebook page:
"On February 11, 2026, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted new measures for Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery: a hard cap of 45,000 fish in clusters 1 and 2 near the Alaska Peninsula, corridor closures if that cap is exceeded, and updated Incentive Plan Agreements to guide fleet behavior.
"If the 45,000-fish cap is exceeded, half of the area will close for the remainder of the season, from June 10–August 31.
"While these steps were taken, they provide limited protection for Yukon River salmon and do not address ongoing subsistence closures impacting Tribal communities. We recognize the amazing work of Tribal staff and advocates — your knowledge, experience, and persistence continue to make a difference. Even in the face of an uphill battle, our unified voice has influence and weight in these decisions."
So it looks to me like deck boss is really just a democrat hack site. What side will hack deck boss be on when the Indians want free permits or when environazi think we shouldn’t be seining we should only be fishing with longlines. You say you’re a commercial fishing news site please spare us that your some kind of a friend it seems like just about all fishing group excutive directors are democrat hacks and now the press Watch out commercial fishermen these democrat hacks all say their our friends and they are not
In Alaska, Republicans & Democrats are Hacks. The Indians already won that case in Metlakatla Mike, they kept the Rez, and didn't get bought out by Nixon(R). How's that S.E. Seine buy back treating you, now that the Indians get to issue their own tribal permits just like on that Lummi Rez, that the United States Supreme Court explained Washington Passenger Vessel in 1979. When speaking about Democratic and Republican Hacks, you may need a little more history on Alaska. Take for instance Westly here, from Tennessee. U.S. Senator Andrew Johnson(D), from Tennessee was the only democratic who didn't abandon his U.S.Senate Seat when they all resigned in 1861. WHO was it that Bought Alaska Mike, in 1867? When Andrew Johnson got his first job as young teen, he hired tutor to teach him how to read, he was totally illiterate. The 17th President bought Alaska, just in case that Ketchikan school district failed you.
"The trawl industry is patting itself on the back for accepting a bycatch 'cap' of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon — but that's barely below what they've been catching, on average, in recent years," says SalmonState, a Juneau-based advocacy organization.
Voting in favor of the motion:
ReplyDeleteRachel Baker
Angel Drobnica, chair
Nicole Kimball
Jon Kurland
John Moller
Nate Pamplin
Brian Ritchie
Rudy Tsukada
Voting against:
Jamie Goen
Anne Vanderhoeven
Steve Williams
Here's the motion:
ReplyDeletehttps://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=73d64f23-98f0-446d-885c-85f9875c83eb.pdf&fileName=C2%20Motion.pdf
Jamie is a joke of a council member. Could she make it any more obvious thst ABSC is getting ENGO money.
ReplyDeletenot sure how that works, have you check their donor list? are they really getting engo money?
DeleteYes. They receive money from Walton packard foundation.
DeleteGood work by the council dealing with a really tough issue. The draggers probably aren't happy (nor are the NGOs) but at least the council had the brain power of a few members to come up with a solution that didn't allow hatchery fish to shut down plants. Gonna be sad in 2 years when all those brains are gone and they're replaced by hacks.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this was a really tough issue and thankfully those three very smart ladies serving on the Alaska side made lemonaid out of lemons.
DeleteHats off to them for avoiding making bad decisions on this issue.
They were in a very difficult situation with no good choices. I'm sure they'll get plenty of flack from all sides. It really is too bad more Alaskans don't realize the quality of people representing them on that body to navigate some of the toughest fisheries policy issues of our time.
DeleteBut hey, it's an election year and people are upset about a lot of issues. Giving credit for wonky fisheries policy doesn't drive clicks or voter turnout, so here we are...
At one point during public testimony, tribal dancing broke out in the council meeting room. Numerous Alaska Natives urged the council to adopt tight limits on trawl chum bycatch, describing the heartbreaking effects of salmon deprivation in their villages.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1198430989079026&id=100067364092480
Jon Kurland, who heads the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska, said this during his closing statement on the council motion:
ReplyDelete"Throughout the development of this action over the past few years, I haven't heard anyone question the seriousness of the salmon crisis in Western Alaska. But clearly there are differences of opinion over the extent to which reducing bycatch may help salmon runs to recover. The science is clear that unfavorable ocean conditions rather than bycatch are the dominant forces affecting salmon returns."
Jon Kurlan is a very bright individual but is not a politician.
DeleteAnd thank god for that. The politicians really showed how out of their depth they were on this issue. Alaskan fishermen should be frightened. Wait till they turn on you, Ifq halibut.
DeleteThe council has posted a press release:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.npfmc.org/notice-of-council-action-western-alaska-chum-salmon-bycatch-limit/
Andrea Keikkala, executive director of United Catcher Boats, provided the following statement on the council's action:
ReplyDelete"UCB appreciates the council's thoughtful work on this issue. Western Alaska chum salmon are critically important to many communities, and we recognize that responsibility.
"This is a challenging action, but it builds on tools our fleet is already using such as salmon excluders, real-time avoidance, genetic data, and strong IPA (Incentive Plan Agreement) accountability requirements. We believe incentive-based management works, and this framework reinforces that approach. It will require discipline and continued collaboration, but our fleet has a strong track record of adapting and reducing bycatch. We're committed to making this work while sustaining a responsible pollock fishery that supports jobs, food security, and coastal economies."
What a bunch of gibberish.
DeleteYeah. Seems like a lot of words to say, we lost and got a cap.
DeleteAndrea "it's an exciting time to be in the pollock industry" Keikkala
DeleteFrom the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission's Facebook page:
ReplyDelete"On February 11, 2026, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted new measures for Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery: a hard cap of 45,000 fish in clusters 1 and 2 near the Alaska Peninsula, corridor closures if that cap is exceeded, and updated Incentive Plan Agreements to guide fleet behavior.
"If the 45,000-fish cap is exceeded, half of the area will close for the remainder of the season, from June 10–August 31.
"While these steps were taken, they provide limited protection for Yukon River salmon and do not address ongoing subsistence closures impacting Tribal communities. We recognize the amazing work of Tribal staff and advocates — your knowledge, experience, and persistence continue to make a difference. Even in the face of an uphill battle, our unified voice has influence and weight in these decisions."
So it looks to me like deck boss is really just a democrat hack site. What side will hack deck boss be on when the Indians want free permits or when environazi think we shouldn’t be seining we should only be fishing with longlines. You say you’re a commercial fishing news site please spare us that your some kind of a friend it seems like just about all fishing group excutive directors are democrat hacks and now the press Watch out commercial fishermen these democrat hacks all say their our friends and they are not
ReplyDeleteIn Alaska, Republicans & Democrats are Hacks. The Indians already won that case in Metlakatla Mike, they kept the Rez, and didn't get bought out by Nixon(R). How's that S.E. Seine buy back treating you, now that the Indians get to issue their own tribal permits just like on that Lummi Rez, that the United States Supreme Court explained Washington Passenger Vessel in 1979. When speaking about Democratic and Republican Hacks, you may need a little more history on Alaska. Take for instance Westly here, from Tennessee. U.S. Senator Andrew Johnson(D), from Tennessee was the only democratic who didn't abandon his U.S.Senate Seat when they all resigned in 1861. WHO was it that Bought Alaska Mike, in 1867? When Andrew Johnson got his first job as young teen, he hired tutor to teach him how to read, he was totally illiterate. The 17th President bought Alaska, just in case that Ketchikan school district failed you.
DeleteHere's a news article from the Alaska Beacon:
ReplyDeletehttps://alaskabeacon.com/2026/02/13/with-western-alaska-salmon-runs-weak-managers-set-limits-on-the-pollock-fleets-chum-bycatch/
"The trawl industry is patting itself on the back for accepting a bycatch 'cap' of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon — but that's barely below what they've been catching, on average, in recent years," says SalmonState, a Juneau-based advocacy organization.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/SalmonStateAK/posts/pfbid02z1HnyXRDM8J45zVn9sQmaxdz2mAsNtsSVQdP1doA6NQTjS7s7Gb91BrewYYSYfFtl
United Catcher Boats has issued a press release:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ucba.org/uploads/5/4/3/8/5438141/ucb_press_release_on_npfmc_wak_chum_ruling_final.pdf