Opinion: We are Alaska pollock fishermen: Here’s the truth about our fishery

We are Alaska pollock fishermen. We make our living on the water harvesting wild Alaska pollock, the country’s largest source of wild-caught seafood, under some of the toughest conditions and strictest management in the world. Our fishery supports roughly 30,000 American jobs and is a cornerstone of Alaska’s economy. In fact, last year Alaska pollock alone made up nearly one-third of the value of Alaska’s entire seafood harvest. This industry matters to us, we are proud of it, and we’re frustrated by the misinformation we’re hearing about our fishery and the way we fish. People say we’re depleting Alaska pollock stocks, that our trawl nets are trashing the ocean floor, or that we aren’t concerned about bycatch and other species of fish. As the ones out on the Bering Sea harvesting with care and intention, we’d like to set the record straight.

Sustainable Alaska Pollock Stocks: Science-Based Limits and Oversight

First off, we are not overfishing Alaska pollock. Far from it. Alaska pollock stocks are healthy, abundant and thriving. Federal assessments show that the species isn’t overfished, and overfishing isn’t happening. How have we kept it that way? By following science-based catch limits and strict rules. Every year, after careful review, government scientists tell us the maximum safe harvest level the Acceptable Biological Catch, or ABC. Then fishery managers set our actual quota, the Total Allowable Catch, or TAC, below that number – often well below. For instance, in 2025 the Bering Sea Alaska pollock quota was set about 40% under the level scientists said would be sustainable. That’s why our fishery is often held up as a global model for sustainable, accountable management. We’re proud of it. Bottom line: We make our living on Alaska pollock, so no one has more incentive to keep these stocks thriving for the long haul than we do.

Low Bycatch –Clean Fishing Matters

Next, let’s talk bycatch – the other marine life that sometimes end up in our nets. We want to be crystal clear: we don’t want bycatch and we do a lot to avoid it. The last thing we want is to catch species we’re not targeting. The Alaska pollock fishery is one of the cleanest fisheries in the world in terms of bycatch – over 99% of our catch is Alaska pollock. Less than 1% are other species and only a very small percentage of that is salmon. That’s not luck; it’s because we go to great lengths to avoid bycatch such as:

• Real-time communication: Our captains constantly share data with each other about where they’re seeing any salmon or other non-pollock species, so we can steer clear of those “hotspots.” If a particular area has more salmon bycatch one day, we avoid it. If we ever reach our salmon bycatch limit, the entire fishery shuts down and we’re done for the season. You’d better believe we do all we can to avoid salmon while we’re fishing.

• Salmon escape routes: We’ve invested in specialized salmon excluder devices on our nets. It’s like a trapdoor for bycatch – Alaska pollock stay in while salmon that find the opening swim out. Data shows the devices are making an impact.

• Constant monitoring: We don’t like bycatch either and we’re held accountable when we have it. Our fishery follows strict protocols that include having independent federally trained observers on vessels, or on-board cameras to ensure accurate reporting, and a public database that records the precise catch for each vessel.

• No waste philosophy: When some unavoidable bycatch does occur, we make sure it doesn’t go to waste. Through the SeaShare program we donate edible bycatch to food banks to help feed families in need.

All these efforts come down to one thing: respect. We respect the resource; we’re out there for Alaska pollock, and we do everything possible to leave other species alone. Our bycatch is closely monitored, and, in many cases, we’re held to hard caps – if the fleet ever hits a cap on a species like Chinook salmon, for example, the fishery closes. We work very hard so that doesn’t happen. Between the rules and regulations, 100% monitoring from observers and cameras, excluder devices and rolling hotspot closures, we don’t know any other fishery that works harder to prevent bycatch. Keeping bycatch low isn’t just a rule for us – it’s a point of pride.

Pelagic Trawls: Minimal Seafloor Impact

Finally, there’s a misconception that trawl fishing means we’re ripping up the ocean floor. So, here’s the truth: We fish with approved pelagic nets that minimize our time fishing and minimize impacts to the seafloor. NOAA frequently conducts ecosystem reviews, and they’ve found that when contact with the seafloor happens, impacts on habitat are very low — but we are proactively working to understand more about our contact and any impacts, because that’s the right thing to do. In fact, only a tiny fraction of the Bering Sea’s continental shelf (only 5-6%) area is ever disturbed by fishing gear let alone pollock trawls. By NOAA’s estimate, the footprint of our fishery on the seafloor is significantly smaller than that of nearly any other major fishery. A healthy seabed means healthy Alaska pollock habitat, and it’s in our own interest to safeguard that.

Proud, Responsible Stewards of the Sea

We don’t expect a pat on the back for doing the right thing. Fishing is our livelihood, and taking care of the ocean is just common sense – if we mess it up, we lose everything. That’s why we go above and beyond regulations every day to keep the Alaska pollock fishery sustainable. We follow conservative catch limits, we avoid and minimize bycatch with every tool we’ve got, and we fish with some of the most innovative gear and methods that spare the seafloor as much as possible. We’re proud of what we do, how we do it, and the people we get to feed.

So, the next time you hear someone claim that Alaska pollock fishermen are pillaging the ocean, remember this: no one cares more about the long-term health of the Alaska pollock fishery than the fishermen and communities who depend on it. Our crews don't show up for pulse fisheries to make a quick buck. We grind long months to make wages to provide for our families. Our goal is to pass on a thriving Alaska pollock fishery to the next generation – so our kids and grandkids have the same opportunity.

Guillermo Curiel of the CV Nordic Nury, Brett Hawley of the CV Sea Wolf, Mike Johnson of the CV Viking, Patrick McGrorty of the CV Pacific Prince, Brandon Lynn of the CV Westward One, Scott Symonds of the C/P Alaska Ocean and Jim Egaas of the C/P Northern Hawk are based in Dutch Harbor for the Alaska pollock A and B seasons.