Halibut in Trouble: Who's to Blame?

Alaska's halibut numbers are dropping fast. This is a big deal for small fishing businesses. They see fewer fish every day. This means less work and less money for people who depend on fishing. Big trawling ships are part of the problem. They catch lots of fish they don't even want. This is called bycatch. From 2019 to 2023, pollock trawlers caught 574 metric tons of halibut. That's a lot! These ships are supposed to catch fish in the middle of the water. But they still catch halibut and other species. Small fishermen have to follow strict rules. They can't catch as many fish as before. This hurts their business. Meanwhile, big trawlers can catch and throw away lots of fish. This doesn't seem fair.Trawlers also catch and kill marine mammals. This includes whales, dolphins, and seals. They are allowed to catch 45, 000 chinook salmon from the Bering Sea. But subsistence fishermen on the Yukon River can't catch any. This is a big problem for people who rely on fishing for food. The Alaska Board of Fisheries made a decision. They stopped chum salmon harvest on the Yukon River for two years. But trawlers can still catch and throw away unlimited chum salmon. This shows a big difference in rules for small and big fishermen. People in Alaska want to know why this is happening. They want fair rules for everyone. Reporting on trawling helps people understand the problem. It also helps hold those responsible accountable.