EventDuring a 4‑day trip in July 2026, the Bering Sea pollock trawler F/V Progress reported catching 210 chum salmon, illustrating the 2 % bycatch rate of Alaska’s pollock fishery. The practice has become a flashpoint amid collapsed salmon runs and political debate over the industry’s impact on Indigenous communities.
Alaska pollock trawlers’ capture of salmon has intensified debate over fishing practices, prompting regulatory actions and influencing political contests amid declining salmon runs.
A 50‑vote gap in the primary shows voters weigh the Donlin Gold mine, trawling regulations, and high living costs in the Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta.
Alaska's pollock trawling fishery has captured hundreds of thousands of salmon as bycatch, sparking debate among indigenous communities, politicians and the fishing industry over the need to restrict trawling to protect depleted salmon runs.