October 14, 2026 — Alaska’s pollock trawlers are under fire for accidentally catching salmon while salmon returns in the fall, and the head of the group that represents the boats says banning them would not solve the problem.
The boats target pollock, which ends up in fish sticks, fast food fish sandwiches and imitation crab sold worldwide. Their nets also pull in salmon, a practice known as bycatch. Critics say that hurts local fishermen and threatens a way of life for some Alaskan communities. Janet Woods, a local resident, put it this way: “The industry is taking away again part of our life, part of our culture, because it’s all about money.”