The article in Sunday’s edition of ADN on bycatch, on page A-12, was much more significant than described. The impact on king salmon fishing has also reached the Cook Inlet fishery as well and likely describes a statewide impact that even reaches down to the Pacific Northwest.
There are significant shortcomings in the report as far as the data is concerned. The suggestion that the reduction in the bycatch is being reduced simply belies the fact that the overall fish numbers are decreasing, which means that the corresponding bycatch must decrease due to an ever-decreasing population at sea. The supposed cause is implied to relate to global warming impacts, but this fails to accurately detail the historical impact of long-term fishing and the details of population recovery.
The historical average size of salmon has dramatically decreased over the past 50 years and this decrease has also impacted the marine organisms that require them in their diet. The actual failure of the analysis is that our understanding of the Northern Pacific is inadequate and will require a significant increase in research and probably restriction of commercial fishing. It is already occurring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers as well as the Cook Inlet system.
— John M. Kennish
Anchorage
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.