Federal fishery managers shut down a major Alaska fishery after two Kodiak-based boats unintentionally caught 2,000 king salmon while targeting pollock, triggering swift reactions from advocates seeking better protections for the struggling species.
The closure affects about 20 boats in the Kodiak-based trawl fleet, which had caught roughly one-fourth of its seasonal pollock quota before reaching a cap on king salmon bycatch.
This move, weeks ahead of the scheduled Nov. 1 closure, puts hundreds of jobs at shore-based processing plants at risk.
The king salmon bycatch issue has drawn increasing scrutiny from tribal advocates and conservation groups, particularly in the Bering Sea, though this incident occurred in the central Gulf of Alaska.
Genetic data shows that most of the salmon caught as bycatch in the gulf come from British Columbia and the U.S. West Coast, with some from Alaska rivers, many of which have faced challenges, leading to restrictions on other fisheries.
The two trawlers involved, including the Evie Grace, caught over 1,200 kings in a single haul. This incident, referred to as a lightning strike by Evie Grace’s co-owner, Kent Helligso, pushed the fleet over the annual cap of 18,316 king salmon the first time the limit has been exceeded since 2012.
Though the fleet voluntarily stopped fishing ahead of the formal closure, the economic impact on the industry remains unclear, with fishermen exploring whether moving to other fisheries like rockfish is feasible amid Alaska’s broader seafood industry crisis.