Alaska Senator Introduces Bycatch Reduction Act

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, has introduced the Bycatch Reduction Act, an updated version of bycatch legislation Sen. Sullivan introduced last year that incorporates extensive input from Alaska stakeholders. The legislation is an outgrowth of Sen. Sullivan’s Alaska Salmon Task ForceAct, which was signed into law in December 2022 and created the Alaska Salmon Task Force.

Sen. Sullivan’s Bycatch Reduction Act creates a robust toolkit to reduce bycatch and seafloor habitat impacts from mid-water and bottom trawl fishing vessels and strengthen reporting transparency and accountability. These tools include establishing clear standards and monitoring requirements to ensure trawl nets remain off the seafloor; mandating proven salmon excluder devices; investing in salmon tagging, faster genetic sampling, and ecosystem analyses; creating a new flume tank testing facility that simulates real ocean conditions to evaluate new gear and tools; and reauthorizing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP). Finally, the Bycatch Reduction Act would provide the public with greater access to participate in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council regulatory process and NOAA data monitoring, while prohibiting the import of seafood from countries like Russia and China that ravage global fish stocks and fail to meet the same sustainability standards required of American fishermen.

“I’ve heard from countless Alaskans—from subsistence harvesters to commercial and recreational fishermen, and from residents of coastal communities to upriver villages—who are rightfully demanding direct action to reduce bycatch and gear contact with the seafloor to better protect our fisheries,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Based on those numerous conversations and the important work of the Alaska Salmon Task Force, I’ve introduced the Bycatch Reduction Act, the most comprehensive bycatch legislation ever introduced in the Congress. My legislation has three clear objectives. First, it will protect Alaska’s ocean habitat and fisheries by setting clear standards, improving monitoring, and establishing strict enforcement measures for trawl fleets. Second, the legislation will make bycatch monitoring and reporting more transparent through investments in new technology and investigations, guided by a new Bycatch Reduction Task Force made up of Alaskans. Third, the legislation will help test and deploy innovative fishing gear and equipment that reduce bycatch or habitat disturbances. Together, these measures will meaningfully improve the long-term sustainability of the fishery resources so many Alaskans rely upon.”

“I’ve spent my career on the water, and I know how important it is to reduce bycatch and protect our fisheries,” said Captain Bob Candopoulos, Alaska sportfish and charter leader and owner of Saltwater Safari Company. “No one in Congress has done more to champion Alaska’s fisheries and tackle the issue of bycatch than Senator Sullivan. When I shared my concerns with him last summer, he listened and was eager to find practical solutions, including new technologies and tools to reduce bycatch. This bill reflects that commitment, and I’m confident he’ll keep leading the effort until it gets signed into law.”

Read more about the proposed legislation here.