The North pacific Fisheries Management Council and the Alaska Region of NOAA Fisheries have prepared measures to restrict the using of Pollock trawl vessels for salmon fishing in Bering Sea. The step has been taken the bycatch of chinook and chum salmon in the pollock fisheries rose tremendously in recent years. After a long gap the Council has discussed an important issue of reducing and controlling salmon bycatch in 2008.
Last year NOAA Fisheries has passed certain management measures that allow flexibility to the Pollock industry to move their fishing operations to avoid areas of high salmon bycatch. The Council has initiated this EIS analysis of alternatives which include the implementation of new salmon area closures or establishing bycatch limits that would close the pollock fisheries once the limit is reached.
Doug Mecum, Deputy Administrator for NOAA Fisheires Alaska region, said that the Council will be evaluating the current regulations and limits on salmon and will analyse the possible effects of new regulatory closures and salmon bycatch limits. He also said that the council is now asking for written comments from public on the issues that should be considered in the revision of salmon bycatch management.
Mecum explained that any regulation changes would help to maintain a healthy marine ecosystem, ensure the long-term conservation and abundance of salmon. He also stressed that new regulations will provide maximum benefit to fishermen and communities that depend on these resources. Mecum added that social and economic impacts of these regulations will also be considered.
