Alaska Fishermen Test Salmon-Escape Devices in Bering Sea Trawls
Published Date: 3/27/2025
Notice
Summary
The North Pacific Fisheries Research Foundation wants to test new salmon excluders during the summer pollock fishing season in the Bering Sea. If approved, some fishing rules will be relaxed from June 30 to September 1, 2025, so they can see if these devices help more salmon escape safely. Fishermen, fish lovers, and the environment all have a stake, and public comments are open until April 11, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
3,000 mt Pollock Allowed Outside TAC
If the exempted fishing permit (EFP) is issued, up to 3,000 metric tons (mt) of pollock may be harvested under the EFP without accruing against the Bering Sea pollock total allowable catch (TAC). The notice states that 3,000 mt equals 0.12 percent of the 2025 Bering Sea pollock acceptable biological catch (ABC), 0.23 percent of the 2025 TAC, and 0.28 percent of the difference between ABC and TAC.
EFP Catches Not Counted Toward Vessel TACs or Chinook PSC
The applicant requests that groundfish and salmon catches by EFP vessels not count against each participating vessel's apportionment of groundfish TACs or Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) limits during the EFP. The notice also states that any Chinook salmon taken during the experiment would be counted but would not accrue toward the Chinook salmon PSC limits.
Temporary Regulatory Exemptions to Test Excluders
To test salmon excluders, the EFP would exempt participating vessels from certain regulations (including 50 CFR 679.22(a)(5); Sec. 679.21(a)(2)(i); and Sec. 679.2 paragraph (14)) during the experimental period. Field testing would occur in July and August during the fishery's B season, and the EFP coverage would run from June 30, 2025 to September 1, 2025.
Limited Participation: Three Vessels to Test Devices
The application proposes testing salmon excluders on two catcher vessels and one catcher/processor (three vessels total) using pelagic trawls under summer pollock fishing conditions. The EFP applicant expects approximately 97–99 percent of the catch to be pollock and estimates about 3,000 mt of groundfish would be taken over the EFP.
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