Native News
Peltola Unveils Plan to Restore Alaska Fisheries, Target Factory Trawling
Native Vote 2026
Former U.S. Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola (Yup’ik) on Wednesday announced a comprehensive plan aimed at restoring Alaska’s declining fisheries, pledging to combat factory trawling, reduce bycatch, and strengthen the state’s seafood economy.
The initiative, titled “Fighting for Alaska Fisheries,” outlines a series of policy proposals designed to protect fish populations and the communities that depend on them.
“As someone who grew up salmon fishing on the Kuskokwim River with my father, I know firsthand that fish is more than food – it’s central to our Alaska way of life. But that way of life is under attack and the fish that fill our freezers are becoming harder and harder to find thanks to out-of-state factory trawlers, excessive bycatch, and destruction of our fisheries,” Peltola said.
“We don’t need more studies to tell us what’s happening in front of our eyes; Alaska needs bold action now to restore and protect our fish. I will fight for practical, Alaska-first solutions to restore our fisheries, strengthen our communities, and ensure that the next generation can experience the same abundance Alaskans have enjoyed for generations.”
Among the plan’s key proposals is a ban on factory trawling and restrictions that would keep mid-water trawlers off the seafloor in an effort to reduce bycatch and restore fish populations.
Peltola also called for securing robust federal fishery disaster funding for Alaska fishermen and fishing communities, fully funding fish stock assessments, and strengthening enforcement of National Standards 8 and 9 to reduce bycatch.
The proposal advocates expanding the use of electronic monitoring and other technologies to detect bycatch in real time and increase accountability for factory trawlers.
To bolster the state’s seafood economy, Peltola’s plan would invest in Alaska’s fish by-product industry and non-fish mariculture sector while opposing federal efforts to permit commercial finfish farming nationwide.
The plan also seeks to increase Alaska representation in fisheries management by preserving the makeup of the federal subsistence board and creating Tribal seats on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
Peltola highlighted her previous work in Congress on fisheries issues, noting that she championed legislation aimed at reducing bycatch and bottom trawling, protecting the Bristol Bay fishery, strengthening the seafood supply chain, and improving fisheries management. Her campaign said she also worked across party lines to secure more than half a billion dollars in federal funding for Alaska’s fisheries.
A lifelong fisherman and former fishing boat captain, Peltola said her experience witnessing declining salmon runs and the impacts of large-scale trawling motivated her push for stronger protections.
She said her Senate campaign will focus on pursuing what she described as bold action to restore fish populations and preserve Alaska’s fishing traditions for future generations.