Wild Animals

Wild Salmon Bycatch in Trawl Fisheries

Non-target salmon captured as bycatch in trawl fisheries face welfare harms that improved fishing practices can significantly reduce.

Key Facts

Salmon and steelhead appear as bycatch in trawl fisheries targeting groundfish
Bycatch discard mortality is often high due to pressure and temperature changes
Salmon bycatch reporting requirements have improved accountability in some fisheries
Bycatch reduction devices and area closures have reduced incidental take in some regions

Welfare Considerations

Bycatch salmon experience compression, temperature shock, and exhaustion before death or discard. Their welfare is invisible in statistics that focus only on target species. Bycatch reduction measures simultaneously improve both conservation and welfare outcomes for non-target species.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from fisheries with documented low salmon bycatch rates
Support bycatch reporting transparency requirements in fishery management
Donate to organizations working on bycatch reduction technology development
Advocate for stronger area closures in salmon migration corridors