Wild Salmon Bycatch in Commercial Fisheries

Wild salmon bycatch in non-salmon fisheries causes population-level welfare harm and complicates salmon recovery efforts across their range.

Key Facts

Pacific salmon are caught as bycatch in groundfish trawl and longline fisheries
Bycatch salmon are typically discarded dead, representing both welfare and conservation loss
Observer programs document bycatch rates but coverage varies across fleets and regions
Modified fishing practices including gear changes and area closures can significantly reduce salmon bycatch
River-specific salmon stocks have different conservation status, making bycatch identification important

Welfare Considerations

Salmon bycatch welfare involves both the individual welfare of fish caught and killed as bycatch and the population-level welfare implications of removing fish from recovering or depleted populations. Bycatch salmon typically die through barotrauma, asphyxiation, or physical injury — a welfare cost that provides no human benefit since the fish are discarded. Conservation and welfare interests are aligned in advocating for bycatch reduction: protecting recovering salmon populations benefits the welfare of future generations while addressing current bycatch harm.

What You Can Do

Support fisheries management programs that track and reduce salmon bycatch
Choose seafood certified from fisheries with documented low salmon bycatch rates
Advocate for observer program coverage requirements that enable bycatch monitoring
Support fishing gear modification research that reduces salmon capture in non-target fisheries
Donate to salmon conservation organizations working on bycatch reduction policies