As commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, I often hear concerns about the impacts of trawl gear used in Alaska’s pollock fisheries, most recently related to potential unobserved mortality of crabs and halibut in the Bering Sea.
We know that pelagic trawls fishing for Alaska pollock are often operated close to, or in contact with, the seafloor. What we do not know is the extent of this contact or the potential impacts on bottom-dwelling species like crab and halibut and their habitat. These data gaps are concerning to Alaskans, and I want to highlight actions underway to understand and address the unintended consequences on seafloor ecosystems in areas that fishery managers and stakeholders have recognized as needing protection.
