An aerial view of the impacts of bottom trawling on the ocean floor. (Image credit: Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios)
Trawling is coming under increased scrutiny internationally with the pending release of David Attenborough’s cinematic documentary Ocean, which provides detailed footage of the impacts of bottom trawling on the ocean and marine life.
In Alaska, there is a pending lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service’s failure to protect Gulf of Alaska seafloor habitat from bottom trawling, filed by Oceana in August 2024. Oceana alleges that NMFS has failed to protect Gulf of Alaska seafloor habitats from potentially irreversible damage caused by bottom trawling or seafloor contact by components of pelagic trawls. The harms to seafloor dwelling species such as corals, sponges and sea pens and fish that rely on them for habitat may be more severe than NMFS has recognized. Ocean has asked the court to direct NMFS to consider and analyze alternatives that are more protective of Gulf of Alaska seafloor habitats. The case is ongoing; there is a brief description of the case and a copy of Oceana’s brief at: https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=af15a4fb-8114-4ad8-902f08cda1d4ae47.pdf&fileName=B3%20Litigation%20Report_Oceana%20v%20NMFS%20EFH.pdf
At the state level, in April 2025, Senator Mike Cronk introduced SB 161, “An Act relating to the use of certain trawl or dredge fishing gear in state water.” The Senate Resources Committee held a hearing on the bill on May 7th but deferred public testimony opportunities for a subsequent hearing. If enacted, the bill would prohibit bottom trawling in state waters beginning in 2028. More information is available at the Alaska Legislature’s website. https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB%20161#tab1_4
The June 2025 North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Newport, Oregon has an agenda item which will consider revising the regulations that define pelagic trawls. Over the past two years, Alaska fishery stakeholders have become increasingly concerned about seafloor contact by pelagic trawls. While pelagic fisheries typically target midwaters species above the seafloor, there has been increasing evidence that pelagic trawls targeting groundfish in Alaska are contacting the seafloor much more than previously thought, including in areas where NMFS has prohibited bottom trawling for conservation purposes. The Alaska Marine Conservation Council has prepared an analysis, “The Myth of “Mid-water” in the Alaska Pollock Fishery available at their website: 284c1f_e3e23a16ac934ec7ac6752ce4c1939cb.pdf
ALFA is currently working on comments for the meeting and will provide an update prior to the comment deadline at noon Alaska time, Friday, May 30. The meeting website is here: Current Or Next Council Meeting | North Pacific Fishery Management Council
ALFA has worked for decades to protect seafloor habitats. In the early 1990s, trawl activity rapidly increased offshore Southeast Alaska resulting in high levels of salmon and rockfish bycatch that threatened to preempt local fisheries. ALFA proposed a trawl ban across Southeast Alaska in order to protect cold-water coral habitats and regional fishery resources, with wide support from regional communities, fishermen, and from the State of Alaska. In 1998, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council prohibited trawling offshore Southeast Alaska within a 52,600–square nautical mile area in 1998.
Corals and sponges form some of the most important habitats in deep, cold oceanic waters. The habitats are deep-sea biodiversity hotspots used by numerous marine species, including globally significant fish populations. These seafloor habitats have ecological functions similar to terrestrial forests that provide habitat for many species. Many of these habitats remain vulnerable to seafloor contact by trawls. ALFA has prepared a new analysis, “Southeast Alaska Trawl Closure: Protecting Habitat, Fish and Fishing Communities” which describes seafloor habitats, their importance to fisheries and vulnerable to trawling. It is available here.