Golden State Salmon Association’s Post

A years-long debate on fish preservation in the Bering Sea and two major Alaskan rivers may be coming to a head. American and Canadian regulators recently agreed to a plan designed to rebuild stocks of salmon and reverse years of cultural and ecological damage. However, many Alaskan tribal leaders claim the state has cut them out of the process and want federal oversight. As Nathaniel Herz writes in his Northern Journal newsletter, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting this week to discuss the issue. A number of options are on the table, though the council may struggle to come up with one that’s acceptable to both the fishing industry and Alaskan tribal leaders. “The tradeoffs here are huge, if you get the wrong preferred alternative going through the council,” Brent Paine, a trawl industry official, said last week. In an effort to satisfy both parties, the council could refine or adjust the different options under consideration. So don’t be surprised if this long-running battle drags on for a little longer. If you’d like the read more about this complex issue, including the meaning (and importance) of the term “bycatch” -- click on the link below. https://lnkd.in/e5qH59wp #baringsea #alaska #arctic #arctictoday #canada #trawling #salmon #usa

Encouraging steps by the Scottish Government in managing crab and lobster stocks is crucial for reviving inshore fisheries. Banning berried lobsters (lobsters carrying eggs) is long overdue - and brings Scotland in line with England where it has been banned since 2017. A broader strategy is key for sustainable recovery. #FisheriesManagement #Sustainability https://lnkd.in/gUQqHJQA

💰 The Spanish Government has distributed nearly €4.8M among the autonomous communities today to finance the temporary stoppages of the #fishing #fleet in 2024. 🎣 Therefore, the Government finances 30% of the needs presented by the communities, with the remaining 70% covered by the European #Maritime and #Fisheries Fund (#EMFF). 🤝 ⛔ Also, the calendar of temporary fishing stoppages eligible for #financing from the EMFF this year has been agreed upon. https://lnkd.in/dSuTFSnX

“Back 50 years ago, at this time of the year, every fishing community was the busiest place in the world. You had boats starting up an hour or so before daylight and people going to bed at midnight six days a week. And today, you know you don't see that, except when fish are plentiful.” - Barry Darby, retired sixth generation fisher, Changing Course. Capelin are an important food source for local communities, but they’re also vital food for other fish like Atlantic cod, halibut and salmon. If we want to see rebuilt fisheries in our lifetime, we need to rethink how we manage fish at the bottom of the food chain. If we give capelin the chance, they can rebuild. Learn more and take action at Oceana.ca/ProtectCapelin.

Conservation is complex - and often controversial. With the changes we've wrought to natural systems, humans often take on new, unnatural roles in attempts to re-balance ecosystems. The article below is a fascinating look under the surface. I'm sure most regions of the country have examples of similar situations. Here in Pennsylvania, we hatch and raise non-native Rainbow and Brown trout to stock in our now, mostly Brook Trout-less streams. (Note: Brook Trout are an invasive species in areas of the western U.S.!) However, these artificial fisheries are popular with anglers, providing important revenue for the Fish & Boat Commission, who are also responsible for the management of the State’s insects, amphibians, and reptiles - as well as Brook Trout recovery programs! And let's do more wildlife corridors and crossings too. #wildlifecoexistence #conservation

This action approves and implements Framework Adjustment 65 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This rule revises the rebuilding plan for Gulf of Maine cod, set catch limits for 16 of the 20 multispecies (groundfish) stocks, and make a temporary modification to the accountability measures for Georges Bank cod. more,,,

California’s wild salmon stocks are on life support. For the second year in a row, commercial fishing is at risk of being shut down due to dismal population counts. Learn more about the future of salmon fishing in California here: https://lnkd.in/gVB2G2ci

As Skagit Valley waterways get warmer, the Swinomish push to save fish https://lnkd.in/gBcAk9C5

As shown below, the annual commercial oyster landings in Mississippi have significantly fallen since 2000 due to major disasters in 2005, 2010, 2011, and 2019. Since 2019, the state's public oyster reefs have had no reported commercial harvest.

At the recent North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, 100+ voices weighed in on chum salmon bycatch. Our fishery shares many of these concerns and will continue doing our part to reduce incidental catch of Western Alaska chum salmon through science-based solutions. We're also mindful of the increasing impacts of non-US hatchery chum salmon on pollock-dependent Alaskan communities. Several options on the Council's table could actually increase Western Alaska incidental catch in the long run, and we aim to promote sustainable growth. #ResponsibleFisheryManagement #SustainableFishery