June NPFMC Recap: Pelagic Trawl Gear Research Updates (D1)
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At the recent North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) meeting in Vancouver, Washington, Alaska Marine Community Coalition (AMCC) submitted public comment on three agenda matters regarding prohibited species catch, tanner crab protections, and pelagic trawl performance standards in Alaska on the federal level. AMCC testimony was focused on asking the Council to objectively examine fisheries issues and make decisions based on sustainable and unbiased practices. The specific agenda items addressed were:
Agenda Item B2 - Fishmeal Disposition of Prohibited Species Catch (PSC);
Agenda Item C5 - Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Tanner Crab Protection Measures; and
Agenda Item D1 - Pelagic Trawl Gear Research Updates.
Below is a recap of the Agenda Item D1 - Pelagic Trawl Gear Research Updates, what AMCC requested of the Council, and the Council’s ultimate decision and/or recommendation.
In Brief: Agenda Item D1 focused on whether pelagic trawl gear is operating as intended and how its contact with the seafloor should be measured, monitored, and managed. AMCC requested stronger performance standards, improved bottom-contact monitoring, and a review of whether pelagic trawl gear should continue to be classified as an off-bottom fishing method. The Council directed staff to continue evaluating options to reduce bottom contact, improve monitoring, and assess potential regulatory changes.
AMCC’s public comment letter can be found here.
Issue:
Pelagic trawl gear is generally understood and managed as a midwater fishing gear type that operates off the seafloor. However, research has shown that pelagic trawl gear can make contact with the bottom for extended periods of time, raising serious concerns about impacts to seafloor habitat, non-target species, and other fisheries and communities that depend on those resources.
These findings have prompted questions about whether the current management classification of pelagic trawl gear accurately reflects how the gear is operated and its actual impacts. Seafloor contact by pelagic gear also raises concerns about a potential loophole that allows vessels classified as "pelagic" to access areas that are closed to nonpelagic trawl gear.
Adding to these concerns, existing monitoring technology cannot reliably document the extent, duration, and location of bottom contact. As a result, current pelagic trawl performance standards, such as the Gulf of Alaska’s (GOA) 10% maximum seafloor-contact regulation1, are currently unenforceable due to this technology limitation. Improved monitoring is needed to better understand the actual impacts of pelagic trawl gear and evaluate whether current management measures are effective.
What AMCC asked for:
AMCC recommended that the Council evaluate and verify the “off-bottom” status and performance of pelagic trawl gear. Specifically AMCC requested that the Council analyze and recommend to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) a revised pelagic trawl performance standard that (1) reclassifies pelagic trawl gear as “mobile bottom contact gear;” and “bottom contact gear;” (2) mandates zero-verified bottom contact in areas closed to bottom trawl or mobile bottom contact gear; (3) establishes a tow-by-tow 10% maximum bottom-contact threshold outside closed areas; (4) requires bottom-contact monitoring technology; and (5) opens the door for the potential creation of a new “semi-pelagic” gear type.
AMCC’s public comment letter can be found here.
The D1 Motion:
On June 8th, The Council announced its intention to continue to evaluate and reduce bottom contact by pelagic trawl gear, particularly in Bering Sea and GOA areas that are closed to non-pelagic trawling, given ongoing concerns about depressed red king crab populations. Due to significant uncertainty regarding unobserved crab mortality associated with pelagic trawl operations, the Council stated its intention to consider additional regulations for pelagic trawl gear, while working with the industry to minimize this uncertainty and incentivize gear modifications.
To address these concerns, the Council requested a discussion paper evaluating viable and enforceable regulatory options to reduce bottom contact by pelagic trawl gear, building on analysis conducted in June 2025. The paper will address potential management measures, including bottom-contact limits, swept-area caps, gear modifications, monitoring technologies, and operational standards. These options will be assessed for their feasibility, enforceability, and potential impacts on fishing operations, catch rates, effort distribution, and prohibited species catch (PSC) trade-offs associated with them.
The Council reaffirmed its previous intent to use the updated the Fishing Effects (FE) model with improved bottom-contact estimates as a baseline for management of this fishery. Although it has limitations, the Council recognizes this model as the best tool for assessing the effects of fishing on benthic habitats in Alaska.
The Council supported continued gear innovation projects, ongoing exempted fishing permits (EFPs), and continued crab habitat and species distribution research. The D1 Motion passed.
What’s next?
The agenda topics discussed above will continue to be evaluated in future Council meetings. AMCC is dedicated to following the conversation and also encourages you to make your voice heard. If you are interested in offering public testimony or submitting a comment at Council meetings, check out AMCC’s Guidebook for Engaging with the NPFMC here. The next Council meeting will be held in Anchorage, Alaska on October 5-13, 2026.
150 C.F.R. § 679.24(b)(3) (2025) (“No person trawling in any GOA area limited to pelagic trawling under § 679.22 may allow the footrope of that trawl to be in contact with the seabed for more than 10 percent of the period of any tow.”).
Photo courtesy of ASMI
