SALMON BYCATCH
CONTACT INFORMATION
Chum Salmon Bycatch
The Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery is the largest fishery in the United States. The pollock trawl uses nets pulled by trawlers to catch pollock, a kind of cod fish. On average each year, 252,000 chum salmon are caught as bycatch in the Bering Sea commercial pollock trawl. Many of those Chum were bound for rivers in the Norton Sound and YK area rivers. Currently, Bering Sea pollock trawlers have no maximum number of Chum Salmon that can be caught as bycatch.
Right now, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) are taking public comments on this issue – and you can share your thoughts and concerns with them by providing written comments and/or sharing oral testimony.
Read Kawerak’s comment letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding the Chum Bycatch issue.
Reach out to the Kawerak Social Science Program with further questions: socsci@kawerak.org.
Key Dates
(Note: this will be updated as events may be changed or added, please check back)
How to Participate
In-Person Testimony & Travel Scholarship
Anyone can voice their opinions in person at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) meeting in Anchorage February 2-11. Kawerak is providing an opportunity for Tribal Members to travel on a travel scholarship so they can express their concerns at the Council meeting.
There is a limited number of travel scholarships for interested Tribal members to attend the NPFMC meeting to give testimony in-person in Anchorage. Scholarships will cover flights, lodging, and per diem in Anchorage. The deadline to apply is January 9. If you are interested in applying, contact Lisa Ellanna, lellanna@kawerak.org, or 907-304-1195 for more information.
Requirements:
- Must be a Tribal member of a Bering Strait Region Tribe living in the Bering Strait Region
- Must attend the Zoom workshop on learning how to testify (see more information below)
Submit Written Comments to NMFS
Submit Written Comments to the NPFMC
Provide Oral Testimony
You don’t have to be in person at the NPFMC meeting to share verbal comments – you can also share your comments over the phone or on Zoom. Please see the the NPFMC website for more information about how and when to submit oral comments: https://www.npfmc.org/current-or-next-council-meeting/. Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) can also provide more information and assistance regarding providing oral testimony.
Virtual Workshop
-
Background information about Chum Salmon bycatch
-
Information about the NPFMC and how the Council manages the fishery
-
Information about how to share your comments with the Council
-
A place to have a conversation about the issue of bycatch
Please check back here for more information, as workshop materials and other details are currently being set up. You can also reach out to Kawerak Social Science Program Manager Lisa Ellanna for more information (lellanna@kawerak.org).
Tribal Consultation
There will be a Tribal Consultation between NMFS and federally-recognized Tribes on Monday, January 26th, from 1:00pm-4:00pm AKST. Contact Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) for more information.
Tribal Engagement Session
There will be a Tribal Engagement session with NMFS on January 27th from 10:00am-12:00pm AKST regarding the chum bycatch action which will be open to Tribal citizens. Contact Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) for more information.
Learn More About Chum Bycatch
Kawerak Recorded Webinar
Kawerak Letters and Testimony
Kawerak President Melanie Bahnke testifies at the NPFMC alongside AVCP and TCC leaders:
North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC)
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has created helpful flyers that provide information about the Council, how it works, and how people can get involved: https://www.npfmc.org/how-we-work/navigating-the-council-process/
Other ways to learn about NPFMC and the Bycatch Issue
- Visit the NPFMC website: www.npfmc.org
- View the NPFMC February eAgenda and schedule. The eAgenda can be found here: https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3116. The schedule can be found here: https://files.npfmc.org/meetings/SCHEDULE_0226.pdf. And more information about the February meeting can be found here: https://www.npfmc.org/current-or-next-council-meeting/
- Visit the NPFMC Salmon Bycatch website: https://www.npfmc.org/fisheries-issues/bycatch/salmon-bycatch/
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) NOAA Fisheries
- Visit the NMFS Chum Salmon Bycatch website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/bering-sea-non-chinook-salmon-bycatch
- Learn about the NMFS numbers regarding historical chum salmon bycatch: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2025.html
Chum Salmon Bycatch
The Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery is the largest fishery in the United States. The pollock trawl uses nets pulled by trawlers to catch pollock, a kind of cod fish. On average each year, 252,000 chum salmon are caught as bycatch in the Bering Sea commercial pollock trawl. Many of those Chum were bound for rivers in the Norton Sound and YK area rivers. Currently, Bering Sea pollock trawlers have no maximum number of Chum Salmon that can be caught as bycatch.
Right now, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) are taking public comments on this issue – and you can share your thoughts and concerns with them by providing written comments and/or sharing oral testimony.
Read Kawerak’s comment letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding the Chum Bycatch issue.
Reach out to the Kawerak Social Science Program with further questions: socsci@kawerak.org.
Key Dates
(Note: this will be updated as events may be changed or added, please check back)
How to Participate
In-Person Testimony & Travel Scholarship
Anyone can voice their opinions in person at the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) meeting in Anchorage February 2-11. Kawerak is providing an opportunity for Tribal Members to travel on a travel scholarship so they can express their concerns at the Council meeting.
There is a limited number of travel scholarships for interested Tribal members to attend the NPFMC meeting to give testimony in-person in Anchorage. Scholarships will cover flights, lodging, and per diem in Anchorage. The deadline to apply is January 9. If you are interested in applying, contact Lisa Ellanna, lellanna@kawerak.org, or 907-304-1195 for more information.
Requirements:
- Must be a Tribal member of a Bering Strait Region Tribe living in the Bering Strait Region
- Must attend the Zoom workshop on learning how to testify (see more information below)
Submit Written Comments to NMFS
Submit Written Comments to the NPFMC
Provide Oral Testimony
You don’t have to be in person at the NPFMC meeting to share verbal comments – you can also share your comments over the phone or on Zoom. Please see the the NPFMC website for more information about how and when to submit oral comments: https://www.npfmc.org/current-or-next-council-meeting/. Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) can also provide more information and assistance regarding providing oral testimony.
Virtual Workshop
-
Background information about Chum Salmon bycatch
-
Information about the NPFMC and how the Council manages the fishery
-
Information about how to share your comments with the Council
-
A place to have a conversation about the issue of bycatch
Please check back here for more information, as workshop materials and other details are currently being set up. You can also reach out to Kawerak Social Science Program Manager Lisa Ellanna for more information (lellanna@kawerak.org).
Tribal Consultation
There will be a Tribal Consultation between NMFS and federally-recognized Tribes on Monday, January 26th, from 1:00pm-4:00pm AKST. Contact Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) for more information.
Tribal Engagement Session
There will be a Tribal Engagement session with NMFS on January 27th from 10:00am-12:00pm AKST, regarding the chum bycatch action, which will be open to Tribal citizens. Contact Lisa Ellanna (lellanna@kawerak.org) for more information.
Learn More About Chum Bycatch
Kawerak Recorded Webinar
Kawerak Letters and Testimony
Kawerak President Melanie Bahnke testifies at the NPFMC alongside AVCP and TCC leaders:
North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC)
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has created helpful flyers that provide information about the Council, how it works, and how people can get involved: https://www.npfmc.org/how-we-work/navigating-the-council-process/
Other ways to learn about NPFMC and the Bycatch Issue
- Visit the NPFMC website: www.npfmc.org
- View the NPFMC February eAgenda and schedule. The eAgenda can be found here: https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3116. The schedule can be found here: https://files.npfmc.org/meetings/SCHEDULE_0226.pdf. And more information about the February meeting can be found here: https://www.npfmc.org/current-or-next-council-meeting/
- Visit the NPFMC Salmon Bycatch website: https://www.npfmc.org/fisheries-issues/bycatch/salmon-bycatch/
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) NOAA Fisheries
- Visit the NMFS Chum salmon Bycatch website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/bering-sea-non-chinook-salmon-bycatch
- Learn about the NMFS numbers regarding historical chum salmon bycatch: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2025.html