Commercial fishing has been criticized by marine ecologists and environmentalists as they see a lack of proper government regulation since large-scale industrial fishing began decades ago. In ‘Deadliest Catch’ TV show several fishing boat captains say government bodies and fisheries need to set wiser fishing quotas to ensure healthy fish populations and a balanced food chain. Captain Phil Harris said that when things go wrong, the fishermen get blamed, but the truth is we are only fishing what they tell us we can fish.
Harris was referring to the quotas that Alaskan crab fisherman like him are given at the beginning of each season setting limits to how much they can catch. He added that it makes him so angry when people talk about overfishing as they have never overfished, and always fish under prescribe quotas. Michael Crocker, a fisherman turned environmentalist who has written about fisheries management, said fishermen should be included in debates on solutions to overfishing.
Scientists, environmentalists and the commercial fishing industry often differ on opinions of fish quotas in Alaska. Last December, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which oversees management of fishing off Alaska, cut catches of Alaskan pollock because of a reduction of stocks in the Bering Sea.
