Pro-fish Peltola defeated

Alaska Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola, who made fish a focal point of her campaign, has lost her bid for a second term.

Republican challenger Nick Begich is the winner.

Is industry behind Peltola?

Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, holds the lone Alaska congressional seat and is righting for reelection with a "pro-fish" campaign slogan.

But how does Alaska's commercial fishing industry feel about her?

To find out, Deckboss followed the money — that is, the campaign contributions to Peltola and her main challenger, Republican Nick Begich.

We searched recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, specifically the July 15 quarterly reports for each candidate.

We're sure we didn't catch everything, but we found several significant fisheries contributions from processors, fishermen and others in the Mary Peltola for Alaska committee report. We compiled this list of Peltola contributions.

The Alaskans for Nick Begich committee, by contrast, showed only a handful of minor contributions from fishermen.

More Peltola fisheries legislation

Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who is fighting for reelection, has put in a bill that appears designed to shield the Alaska fishing industry from offshore fish farm competition, while also subsidizing development of community seafood processing capacity.

Halibut bycatch case attracts Sullivan, Peltola

A court fight over halibut trawl bycatch is escalating.

Two members of Congress from Alaska, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic Rep. Peltola, are looking to weigh in on the case of Groundfish Forum v. National Marine Fisheries Service.

The lawmakers appear to be siding with regulators who imposed tighter halibut bycatch limits in the Bering Sea. A 17-vessel fleet, operating under the banner Groundfish Forum, has sued NMFS arguing the action is financially ruinous.

Backlash for Peltola trawl bill

Commercial fishing groups nationally have sent a letter asking U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, to withdraw her Bottom Trawl Clarity Act.

Peltola drops another fisheries bill

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, has introduced a bill to "amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to establish the Fisheries and Ecological Resilience Program and to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress a report on the competitiveness of domestic seafood producers in domestic and global seafood trade."

Here's a press release from Peltola's office.

NFI decries Peltola's 'misguided' trawl bill

Here's the statement from the National Fisheries Institute.

Peltola takes on trawlers

Alaska Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola, currently running for reelection, today introduced two bills to "restrict bottom trawling and reduce bycatch."

The Alaska Pollock Fishery Alliance issued this statement expressing disappointment in one of the bills.

Russian trawlers are hurting Alaska, Peltola says

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola on Monday addressed the Alaska Legislature and devoted a good part of her speech to fish and fisheries.

Curiously, the word bycatch appears nowhere in the address.

She does go after "lawless" Russian trawl fleets "pushing ever closer to our waters."

Read Peltola's full address here.