After a long struggle by the Alaska industry, boats targeting pollock in the Bering Sea have been allowed to retain bycatch of unwanted species for donation to national food banks. But the federal law said that accidentally caught salmon or halibut must be discarding. More than two million pounds of the wholesome fish has gone to hunger relief via Sea Share, the “seafood arm” of the Feeding America food bank network of 220 outlets nationwide.
The bycatch to food banks program has been expanded since August and in addition more fish will be delivered from the Gulf of Alaska. Jim Harmon, Sea Share director, said that a lot of the processors who work in the Bering Sea also work in the Gulf. He told that the fishermen came this year and said that they want to provide more fish to hunger relief, and they want to include the “prohibited species catch” they get in the Gulf pollock fishery.
What began long ago in the Bering Sea now includes seafood donation partnerships across the nation. The donations also introduce Alaska seafood to a set of consumers who normally would not get it. More salmon fisheries are coming on line in Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay, following the lead of Southeast trollers and Copper River. Catches of sockeye and king salmon at Copper River have been strong since the fishery opened in mid-May, nearly double the forecast.
