National Fisherman

06/03/2026

SalmonState is urging the North Pacific council to close a loophole allowing pelagic trawl vessels to contact the seafloor in protected areas. The group says 40% of Bering Sea bottom contact comes from midwater trawlers. The council is pursuing additional gear research before considering changes. Current standards date to 1993.

06/03/2026

A bill aimed at fostering research on marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is working its way through Congress. If passed, it would authorize NOAA to designate ocean areas for mCDR testing and make grants to fund this testing. While most fishermen have not yet heard of mCDR (much less talked with their elected officials about it), a few are starting to pay attention—and to let their views be known.

A bill aimed at fostering research on marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is working its way through Congress. If passed, it would authorize NOAA to designate ocean areas for mCDR testing and make grants to fund this testing. While most fishermen have not yet heard of mCDR (much less talked with th...

06/03/2026

Kraft Power is selling Nanni engines throughout the U.S. and offering good deals for fishermen who want the quality of Toyota and Scania blocks at a reduced price.

Kraft Power is selling Nanni engines throughout the U.S. and offering good deals for fishermen who want the quality of Toyota and Scania blocks at a reduced price.

06/02/2026

SeaD Consulting’s latest round of genetic shrimp testing shows that while some coastal markets are making progress in seafood transparency, misrepresentation of imported shrimp remains a persistent problem across the Gulf and Southeast.

06/02/2026

A California restaurant and several commercial fishing operators have been ordered to pay more than $100,000 in penalties following an investigation into the unlawful sale and marketing of seafood, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

06/01/2026

Along the Maine coast and across New England, conversations around a lower-carbon fishing fleet often start with fuel. But spend enough time on the dock, and the talk inevitably shifts– down to the wheel turning beneath the hull.

06/01/2026

Tilghman Island Seafood bought 4 million pounds of invasive blue catfish last year and is expanding its processing plant from 3,000 to 30,000 square feet. Maryland watermen, chefs, and photographers are working to turn the invasive species into a viable commercial fishery while protecting the Chesapeake Bay.

Blue catfish have become a manmade disaster in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. They're an invasive species spreading throughout the region and eating whatever they can find. On the upside, they're good eating, and some commercial fishermen and anglers are doing well catching them.

06/01/2026

The North Pacific council will take up pelagic trawl gear issues at its June meeting. Conservation and subsistence groups say bottom contact from pelagic trawls needs to stop. Kodiak's mayor says the po***ck fishery keeps the town's economy running year-round. The council will evaluate potential management measures.

Federal fisheries managers are scheduled to take up pelagic trawl gear issues in Alaska's commercial fisheries when they meet June 1 to June 9 in Vancouver, Wash. 

05/28/2026

A coalition of 23 U.S. fishing and seafood groups is asking the USTR to launch a Section 301 investigation into unfair seafood imports. Imported seafood volume grew 10% since 2019 while U.S. landings dropped nearly 18%. The request follows a similar letter from 20 members of Congress.

A joint request from 23 U.S. fishing, seafood and community groups is asking United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer “to launch a broad investigation into unfair seafood trade practices,” including dumping, subsidies, environmental damage, false product labeling and use of b...

05/28/2026

Copper River sockeye fillets are selling for up to $74.99/lb. at Pike Place Fish Market, where the first shipment sold out on preorders. In Anchorage, fillets are moving at $28.95/lb. Through May 27, harvesters landed 73,165 sockeye and 1,224 Chinook. Fuel in Cordova is $6.50/gallon.

First-run Copper River reds, heralding the start of Alaska's 2026 wild salmon fishery, are in high demand, selling for up to $74.99 a pound.