Bering Sea commercial groundfish fisheries – including the pollock trawl fishery – began their B season fishery on June 10. Read on for 2026 bycatch updates.
Alaska Attorney General refuses to uphold protections for Western Alaskan Salmon, supporting commercial fisheries over subsistence
On May 20, the State Attorney General announced its action to void a set of February 2026 Alaska Board of Fisheries’ regulations to restrict the Area M fishery, overturning regulations that were a result of years of advocacy from communities across the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Bristol Bay, and Arctic regions who have experienced devastating salmon collapses.
NPFMC Takes Limited Step on Chum Salmon Bycatch, Ignores Tribal Knowledge and Urgent Calls for Meaningful Limits
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) voted this week to adopt new management measures for Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. While the action represents a step beyond the status quo, it falls far short of what Tribes across the Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta and Western Alaska have consistently called for: meaningful limits that reflect Traditional Knowledge and the ongoing collapse of salmon runs.
Speak Up For Salmon: February 2026
Kuskokwim Tribes Raised Voices for Chum Salmon Bycatch Protections at Latest North Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council held a special chum salmon bycatch, primarily to review the preliminary draft Environmental Impact Statement (PDEIS or EIS) for new approaches to chum salmon bycatch management in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery, with a prioritization on reducing bycatch of Western Alaska chum salmon.
