Last year pollock trawl has set a new and unwelcome catch record when their vessels accidentally catch more than 120,000 salmon as they dropped their nets in pursuit of pollock. It is true that the chinook are the largest of Pacific salmon, a prized catch in coastal and river harvests in Alaska, Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
This surprised catch has prompted Alaska Native groups, the Canadian government and conservationists to act immediately on the pushing the new restrictions on Bering Sea trawl operations. Jon Warrenchuk, a marine scientist with Oceana, a fisheries conservation group, says the catch was unbelievable and there is not a cap on the amount of salmon the pollock fleets can kill. He added it is high time to act on this.
The North Pacific Management Council has shaped the pollock harvest rules with the support of a group of state, federal and industry officials. They are now taking steps to minimize the king salmon catch, including placing a limit on the chinook harvests that would terminate the annual Bering Sea pollock harvest. As the pollock harvest yield more
Than $1 billion worth of fish and other sea products the stay of Seattle-based trawlers in the Bering Sea cannot be questioned.
These trawlers are now hoping to fend off a cap in favour of other options such as temporary closures of salmon hot spots in the Bering Sea or avoiding fishing in October, when salmon catch rates increase. Brent Paine, executive director of United Catcher Boats, said that the pressure is on as it is an emotional issue.
