Alaska Congressional Delegation Introduces Legislation Aimed at Reducing Trawl Bycatch

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources will review and consider the Alaska Congressional Delegation’s Bycatch Reduction and Research Act. The Senate version (S.3579) was introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan on Dec 18, 2025, and cosponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski. Representative Nick Begich III introduced the House version (H.R.6939) on Jan 6, 2026.

The Act seeks “to address data and research gaps to improve marine environmental data collection, particularly in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, prioritize technology that supports research, bycatch reduction, and marine benthic habitat in Alaska fisheries, advance and streamline electronic monitoring and electronic reporting in United States fisheries, and establish a fund to provide financial assistance for fishermen purchasing gear and technology aimed at reducing bycatch and marine benthic habitat contact from trawl fishing gear.”

Specific action steps provided in the legislation include:

1. Reconstituting the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force as the Bycatch Reduction and Research Task Force and expanding its duties;
2. Creating a satellite tagging research initiative to better understand Alaska salmon habits;
3. Creating a genetic sampling grant program to identify the genetic stock and age composition of Alaska salmon bycatch;
4. Clarifying the process for obtaining NOAA-approved exempted fishing permits (EEPs);
5. Constructing a flume tank to test fishing gear technology aimed at reducing bycatch and habitat impact;
6. Allocating $4 million per year for FY 27-FY 31 for the reauthorization of the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program, provided by Section 216 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act;
7. Authorizing the “‘Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund” to use funds provided by donations (not taxpayer money) to “reduce or mitigate bycatch and reduce marine benthic habitat contact from non-pelagic and pelagic trawl gear.”

Trawling causes massive issues for Alaskan fishermen, Alaskan fish habitats, and the state’s seafood industry. As a result, the Bycatch Reduction and Research Act generated broad support among Alaskan fishermen, leaders of Alaskan fishing associations, and Alaskan sportfishing business owners.