BC Groundfish Trawl Fishery Receives Marine Stewardship Council Certification 

Last Friday, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that the  British Columbia Groundfish Trawl fishery has achieved certification as a fishery that is sustainably fished.  

The fishery, which includes 28 vessels using both mid-water and bottom trawl gear targets hake, pollock, rockfish, cod, rockfish, and flatfish (like sole and flounder.) It has undertaken a series of transformative improvements including one of the most comprehensive stock management and quota allocation programs, and the precedent-setting Pacific Groundfish Trawl Habitat Conservation Agreement which addresses concerns about...

New Bill in AK Senate Bans Trawls or Dredge Gear; Kodiak Whitefish Trawlers Oppose 

A new bill, SB161, introduced by Tok, AK Republican Mike Cronk, would ban the use of  “…any trawl or dredge fishing gear that makes substantial bottom contact with the seafloor while in use, as determined by the department, in the water of the state.” 

The bill also calls for a comprehensive study to assess the “…health of seafloor ecosystems and fish habitat in state water.” That study, to be done by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, would be due by January 1, 2027...

Spain Adds Fishing Days to Mediterranean Trawling Fleet to Guarantee its Activity Until End of Year

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has today authorized an additional 7,339 fishing days for this year 2025 for the Mediterranean trawling fleet, an average of 13 more fishing days for each vessel, intended to complete the availability of vessels subject to fishing effort limitations.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, emphasized that the objective of extending the fishing season is to ensure the activity of Mediterranean fishing vessels until the end of the year, allowing them to fish during...