Alaska Marine Community Coalition

06/05/2026

Thanks Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association - ALFA for the breakdown! Spread the word, bring a friend to vote!

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE FOR FISH IN THE AUGUST 2026 GOVERNOR PRIMARY ELECTION

WHY: This is the most important election for the fishing industry. It determines who makes decisions on and provides access to your fisheries. The next Governor of Alaska’s policies and appointments of ADF&G Commissioner, the Board of Fisheries, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council are extremely important to the viability of commercial fisheries in Alaska.

***IF YOU WILL BE ON THE WATER FISHING, YOU NEED TO VOTE EARLY***

WHEN: The Primary Election for Alaska Governor is Tuesday, August 18, 2026, for in-person voters. The top four candidates who receive the most votes for Governor in the Primary advance to the General Election held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Read ALFA's one-pager here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HL2RHPqMQ8O9926M4piz8iMbGyorzzad/view?usp=sharing

06/03/2026

We are proud to collaborate with Alaska Boats & Permits, Inc. and the Homer Charter Association on the new Safe Fishing Families Initiative.

This is a community effort to provide free life jackets to children in Homer. A giant applause and thank you to the Homer Foundation for funding this incredible project.

We’ve recently ordered over 100 life jackets to be distributed; details for pick up will be announced soon. Questions? Drop us a line here or email [email protected].

06/01/2026

This week the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) is considering innovations in pelagic trawl gear and possible actions regarding bottom contact performance standards.

This is a pivotal moment in a years-long debate around how much pelagic trawl gear contacts the bottom and the impacts of that contact.

If we’re going to have a real conversation about that, one basic question deserves a clear answer: If pelagic trawl is designed to operate off-bottom, shouldn’t its management be designed for that too?

Visit our blog to find our latest analysis regarding this ongoing discussion.

https://www.akmarine.org/post/pelagic-trawl-is-designed-to-fish-off-bottom-does-it-and-does-it-matter

05/29/2026

Don’t forget that the Fish First, Party Second nonpartisan voter education campaign compiled just TEN ISSUES relevant to fisheries here in Alaska.

Broken down into ten separate pdfs that you can print, download, or share with your own communities - we’ve highlighted the issues that define why fisheries matters.

Enjoy today’s feature HEALTHY FISH HABITAT.

https://www.akmarine.org/ffps-habitat

05/27/2026

With our latest impact report fresh into the hands of our community, we continue to feel immense gratitude for this work. Here’s to another season of hard work and high hopes.

Now don’t miss our most recent newsletter! From two new blog posts to help you prepare for the upcoming June NPFMC meeting, to welcoming three new staff members, a new Tidelines Story Series installment, and more, our May e-news is out to our subscribers. Catch up on the issues that matter most to Alaska’s working waterfronts and coastal communities.

Sign up here to receive it directly. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/7zWA6n1/becomeamember?__cf_chl_tk=NMKrF7bOUcuCOmzw7IaTs7bmbSMpJ8ZAcpyRXAxkB.M-1742511321-1.0.1.1-EMJ3yFOjae_w2gQlVE4wuW8kTwW_Db9jnlIFh9RuVHI

Or https://conta.cc/4wKmzfH to enjoy this month’s publication.

SAKred salmon of Cook Inlet U.S. Department of Agriculture Alaska Native Heritage Center The Bait Shack

05/27/2026

Loving this graphic from Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission - this is an important call to action AMCC community. 👏✨🌊

Up for discussion at next week’s North Pacific Fishery Management Council is pelagic (or midwater) trawl gear research updates (agenda item D1). The Council will determine whether or not to move forward in the process of updating the performance standards. Find the agenda, action memo, and more information here: https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/5131

The current standard hasn’t been updated since it was established, along with the definition, in 1993. The standard simply prohibits having more than 20 crab on board at any one time—it states “crabs were chosen… because they inhabit the seabed and, if caught with trawl gear, indicate that the trawl has been in contact with the bottom.”

Pelagic trawl accounts for 34% of the total fishing footprint on the sea floor in the North Pacific. It was historically intended to fish midwater but has proven to contact the bottom. With the developments in technology since 1993, a revision is well-justified. Join the Alaska Healthy Habitat Alliance in urging the Council to revise the performance standard. Comment by 12pm on May 29th or sign up to testify during the meeting at link above.

You can also sign onto Salmon State’s letter: https://salmonstate.org/npfmc

This document is available on our website:https://nativepeoplesaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Pelagic-Trawl-Info-June-2026.pdf

05/22/2026

NPFMC will meet in Vancouver, WA, from June 1-9 to address several critical issues impacting Alaska's fisheries.

From BSAI Crab specifications to GOA Tanner Crab Protection measures, and Groundfish FMP Objectives to Pelagic Trawl Gear Research Updates - if you have something to say NOW IS THE TIME.

Deadline for submitting a public comment is next Friday, May 29, 12pm AK.

For confidence and tools, be sure to check out our Guidebook for Navigating the NPFMC.

https://1a85abfd-d797-4eff-9c2a-676c6dd2f444.filesusr.com/ugd/284c1f_cee545ddeae84d89b08cc683bc7dfbe7.pdf



📸: Photo courtesy of ASMI.

05/21/2026

Boat ✅. Crew ✅. Ballot ✅

Fisheries decisions are made by leaders you elect. Before you leave the dock be sure to make your voting plan. Will you be fishing, traveling, tendering, processing, or away from home during the summer primary election?

Before you leave the dock:
☐ Check your voter registration. Register by July 19 to vote in the Primary Election
☐ Request an absentee ballot if needed.
☐ Read where candidates stand on fisheries.
☐ Remind your crew, family, & fishing friends!

Fisheries policy reaches every deck, dock, harbor, and fishing community in Alaska. Visit the Fish First, Party Second Voter Resource Hub for more information. https://www.akmarine.org/fishfirst



📷: Photos 1 & 2 courtesy of Alaska Seafood; photo 3 courtesy of SeventyFour via Canva; photo 4 courtesy of Tom/tab1962 via Canva.

05/12/2026

The Fish First, Party Second nonpartisan voter education campaign compiled TEN ISSUES relevant to fisheries here in Alaska.

Broken down into ten separate pdfs that you can print, download, or share with your own communities - we’ve highlighted the issues that define why fisheries matters.

Enjoy today’s feature THE FUTURE OF FISHING FAMILIES & COASTAL COMMUNITIES.

akmarine.org/ffps=fishing-families

OR akmarine.org/fishfirst for the entire FFPS website!