Why should we reduce halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea fishery?
Alaska is famous for its bountiful fisheries resources, including salmon, halibut, crab, sablefish, and herring. However, one of the most iconic and valuable of our resources – Pacific halibut – is facing a crisis that threatens the way of life for commercial and sport halibut fishermen, and the economic driver for halibut-dependent communities throughout coastal Alaska.
The Bering Sea (BS) halibut fishery has been crippled by the devastating direct effects of bycatch by large factory trawlers that come north from Seattle to fish for various groundfish species, which are processed at sea and primarily exported to Asia. Bycatch and discard of halibut during those BS groundfish fisheries negatively impacts the ecosystem, and also affects the availability of halibut to all users throughout the species’ range. About 3.3 million pounds of halibut are caught and wasted as bycatch every year by factory trawlers operating in the Bering Sea.
Much of the trawling that results in the halibut bycatch steamrolls over the ocean floor, destroying corals and other benthic habitat (and also crab and other non-fish species).
Halibut stocks have declined substantially over the past 30 years. As halibut stocks declined, bycatch mortality consumed a larger and larger share of the available halibut. Bycatch mortality – dead halibut – is “taken off the top” by the managers at the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), and the commercial and sport (“directed”) halibut fisheries get whatever is left.
This is unfair to Alaska and Alaskans, and is extremely destructive to our ocean ecosystems.
Bycatch limits must be reduced.
This December, the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council will consider an ABM system for the Amendment 80 sector (bottom trawlers) that would tie bycatch limits to halibut abundance. ABM means that as the halibut resource rises or falls, the limits on bycatch by the bottom trawl sector would rise or fall, as the catch limits do for the directed halibut fisheries.
Never before have Alaskans from all regions and sectors come together in this way to support unified action to protect our fisheries and communities.
You can help
This December, there will be an “all the marbles” decision for a new Bering Sea halibut trawl bycatch policy. You can help by commenting in support of Alternative 4 in the BSAI halibut bycatch issue before November 30th. Commenting is easy!
Alaskans, sign this letter by November 30th to show your support for reducing bycatch and protecting the Bering Sea halibut fishery!
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has representatives from Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. You can also contact the Governors of these states before December 8th:
Click here to contact Washington's Governor, Jay Inslee
Click here to contact Oregon's Governor, Kate Brown
Click here to contact Alaska's Governor, Mike Dunleavy
Comment template:
Dear Governor _____,
I urge you to address the environmental, social, and climate impacts associated with industrial trawl fishing in the Bering Sea. Industrial trawling is negatively impacting the salmon, halibut and crab populations along with the rural and indigenous cultures that depend on them. Please encourage your state's representatives on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, who you nominated, to support actions that reduce bycatch. Most immediately, please encourage their support for Alternative 4 in the BSAI halibut bycatch issue before the Council.
