Guest writers: Bellingham’s SE Alaska salmon fleet threatened by lawsuits, misinformation

Cascadia Daily News

March 2nd, 2025

By Kendall Whitney and Linda Behnken

This week marks the annual Wild Seafood Connection in Bellingham when independent commercial fishermen, chefs and seafood buyers come together to share information and build relationships in the local seafood marketplace. As they gather, we are reminded that small-boat fisheries sustain our food system and economy, providing nutritious seafood and renewable revenue.

More importantly, small-boat fisheries define our region’s culture and anchor our values and identity. They build community and connect us with each other and our environment. They also require complex management systems amid diverse stakeholders and across political borders, which can sometimes cause tensions.

In the case of salmon, we are seeing misinformation and misguided lawsuits being used to divide salmon stakeholders in the North Pacific. These unfortunate activities are distracting us from approaching salmon conservation in a more holistic and collaborative way and threaten the survival of the salmon and the people who depend most on wild salmon.

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