VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 2 | JUNE 2026
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Alaska fishermen continue to innovate to protect fisheries
added support will help stabilize markets, strengthen local econo- mies and build resilience for the communities that depend on sea- food. All of this provides critical value to the nation — through food security, nutrition and strong coastal economies.” “On behalf of the Central Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association, we strongly support the establishment of a dedicated Office of Sea- food at USDA,” said Association President Ray Melovidov. “We also wanted to express our gratitude to Sen. Sullivan and other mem- bers of Congress for this initiative which represents an important step toward ensuring that America’s seafood sector — particularly remote and highly dependent fishing communities like Saint Paul Is- land — has a stronger voice in federal policymaking. A coordinated federal approach to seafood will help improve market access for our products abroad, increase domestic consumption, strengthen supply chains and better support fishermen, processors and coastal com- munities across Alaska and the nation.” “As a Bering Sea crab fisherman, I see how this will open the door for my family and other hard working American fishing families. This will lead to new opportunities for capital and resources for fishermen and help us enter and expand our markets to bring good American seafood to the tables across the world,” said Sterling Prout, F/V Silver Spray, a third-generation Alaska crab fisherman from Kodiak. “I commend Sen. Sullivan for his advocacy of the commercial fishing industry and his work on helping to create an Office of Sea- food within USDA,” said Erik Velsko, founder of Kaia Seafoods. “As a recent recipient of USDA grant funding for quality enhancing equipment for our Alaskan-based fishing company, I believe having an Office of Seafood within USDA will ensure that US seafood has a seat at that table." "Establishing an office of seafood within the USDA has been a col- lective vision of the U.S. seafood industry for many years. Just like our country's farmers, America's fishermen feed the world. Estab- lishing this office will provide greater access to USDA programs and alignment with NOAA to en- sure that our fishermen and sea- food industry continues to thrive well into the future.” — Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
One of the primary roles of the new USDA Office of Seafood will be coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are in- tegrated into USDA programs and working alongside the U.S. De- partment of Commerce and other Federal partners to revitalize the American seafood industry. "Establishing an office of seafood within the USDA has been a collective vision of the U.S. seafood industry for many years,” said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of the Alaska Seafood Market- ing Institute. “Just like our country's farmers, America's fishermen feed the world. Establishing this office will provide greater access to USDA programs and alignment with NOAA to ensure that our fish- ermen and seafood industry continues to thrive well into the future.” Alaskan fishing associations commended the move, citing a number of factors that can be improved through working more closely with the USDA and current Federal lawmakers. “Creating an office of seafood at USDA will provide small boat coastal fishermen like me with the resources we need to build suc- cessful businesses resilient to market and resource challenges,” said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fisher- men's Association (ALFA). “This is a game-changer for our fleet.” "AMCC welcomes the creation of an Office of Seafood at USDA,” said Michelle Stratton, executive director of the Alaska Marine Com- munity Coalition. “Expanding USDA’s support for the seafood sector is an important step toward providing small-boat fishermen, seafood producers and coastal communities with the tools and resources that have long helped strengthen America’s other food producers. That
EDITOR'S NOTE: Captain Gus Molan is a multi-generational Alaska fisherman. We asked him to provide his insight into how the commerical fishing industry in Alaska continues to be a good steward of our state's natural resources. "Fishing is often generational. It’s more than just an occupation; it’s a legacy and a tradition. My dad was a captain in Alaska, and I’m proud to follow in his footsteps. I’ve been on Alaska fishing boats since I was 9 years old. I would love for my children to have the opportunity to be fishermen (if that’s what they want to do). "For that to be an option, I have to do all I can to ensure these fisheries are protected so they will continue to flourish. As fishermen, we all feel a deep connection and sense of respon- sibility toward the ocean and its resources. We absolutely consider ourselves environmen- talists in almost every sense of the word. We wake up each day wanting to do the right thing for today and for future generations. "When your work is so close to the resource that you can see and touch it every day, you take every step and participate in every initiative to ensure long-term sustain- ability. I don’t view monitoring, compliance or data collection as separate from my job. I fully
use their knowledge and expertise to con- stantly innovate and adapt to solve prob- lems. Additionally, fleets continue investing in new technology to reduce bycatch and minimize environmental impacts. Modern vessels increasingly use under- water cameras, real-time data sharing, light technology, and modified nets that allow bycatch to escape alive. Satellite internet systems such as Starlink now allow captains to communicate instantly about bycatch hotspots so vessels can avoid problem areas in real time. The Bering Sea pollock fleet, for exam- ple, has reduced chum salmon bycatch by 94% since 2021 and Chinook salmon by- catch by 84% since 2007 through a com- bination of regulatory measures, fleet co- ordination, and technological innovation. These incredible efforts by fishermen fur- ther demonstrate the dedication of Alaska fishermen as leaders in sustainability. link on all the vessels it has allowed captains to stay connected via WhatsApp and alert each other when bycatch is encountered. If one vessel reports bycatch in a particular area, they inform other vessels to avoid that area and try fishing elsewhere. The use of Starlink and Whatsapp has opened up the communication fleet wide instead of only inter-coop communi- cation by way of fleet radio. Fish are constantly moving, and it's critical that our fleets remain connected to work with those movements." ARE THERE INNOVATIONS CURRENTLY BEING TESTED THAT COULD FURTHER REDUCE BYCATCH IN THE NEAR FUTURE? "There are constant projects to design and test technical improvements. One exciting project currently in pilot is reimagining the footrope design on pollock trawl nets. At a very high level, pollock nets are held open by metal doors on the sides of the net and a weighted rope across the bottom. "Pollock nets operate primarily in the mid- dle of the water column, but occasionally make contact with the ocean floor. While any impacts of this bottom contact have been repeatedly proven to be minimal and temporary, we none- theless strive to minimize the contact while maintaining the efficiency. That’s what we are accomplishing with this new footrope."
science-based harvest limits, and enforce- ment. For pollock specifically, more than 99 percent of vessels carry observers or elec- tronic monitoring systems. Every pound of catch and bycatch is accounted for, and habitat protections are built into manage- ment plans. Science-based management is essen- tial not only for conservation, but also for business stability and private sector invest- ment. Fishing businesses depend entirely on healthy fish populations and access to the resource. Long-term investment only happens when management decisions are transparent, data-driven and predictable. FISHERMEN AS INNOVATORS Fishermen play an important role in monitoring and improving Alaska fisheries. In addition to providing operational data and on-the-water observations, fishermen support it and believe it’s integral to ensuring these fisheries remain the best-managed in the world." WHAT KINDS OF TECHNOLOGIES, GEAR MOD- IFICATIONS OR PRACTICES HAVE HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON BYCATCH REDUCTION? "Commercial fishing has evolved over the years and continues to evolve today. Physical bycatch improvements include net designs that allow non-target species to escape while retaining the intended species, light technol- ogy that attracts or repels certain species. Underwater cameras that provide real-time information on exactly what fish are entering the nets. A newly designed footrope that significantly reduces bottom contact on the occasion that the net encounters the seafloor. Among many others. "Practical improvements include having Starlink on board the vessels. By having Star-
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property taxes, harbor fees and seafood-re- lated business activity help fund schools, ports, utilities and public services. Communities like Sand Point and Ko- diak illustrate the long-term stabilizing role of fishing. Both communities have supported seafood processors and fishing fleets for more than a century, creating stable employment, tax revenue and infra- structure investment that ripple through- out the region. GLOBAL LEADER IN SUSTAINABILITY Alaska is frequently cited as a global model for responsible fisheries manage- ment, largely because of the transparency and scientific rigor built into the system. At both the state and federal level, fisher- ies management relies heavily on public data, open meetings, observer coverage,
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ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW JUNE 2026
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