| In Alaska, salmon come first. Alaska has a | | | | the end of each leader there is a lure or |
| long and successful track record of managing | | | | baited hook. Boat size varies from small |
| and conserving its abundant salmon resources. | | | | skiffs to vessels of 50 feet or more with |
| Record salmon runs with a recent average | | | | most ranging between 25 to 40 feet. |
| annual catch of 165 million salmon is the | | | | |
| proof of this successful approach. | | | | Trollers primarily target king, coho, and |
| | | | pink salmon as they enter Alaskan waters on |
| Nearly 95% of all commercially caught salmon | | | | their way to the spawning grounds. Trollers |
| in the US are harvested in Alaska. Alaska is | | | | catch a relatively low volume of high-quality |
| the top producer of wild, high-value salmon, | | | | fish. The fish they catch are bright and |
| producing nearly 80 percent of the world | | | | vigorous from fresh ocean waters. They are |
| supply of king, sockeye, and coho. Alaska's | | | | oftensold dressed, or filleted in the fresh |
| commercial salmon fishery is vital to the | | | | or fresh frozen market. |
| Alaskan economy and the Alaskan way of life. | | | | |
| | | | Gillnetters set curtain-like nets in the |
| Each year, the salmon industry provides | | | | water suspended from a float line at the |
| thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of | | | | surface and a weighted lead line along the |
| dollars to the state's economy. Commercial | | | | submerged bottom edge. Nets vary in length |
| fishing is critical to communities and | | | | from 900 to 1800 feet long. The net's mesh |
| fishingfamilies throughout the state. | | | | openings are just large enough to allow an |
| | | | adult fish head to get through and become |
| Alaska's fishing industry leads the state in | | | | entangled at the gills. |
| providing 47% of private sector jobs, and is | | | | |
| second only to the oil industry in providing | | | | There are two types of gillnets; driftnets |
| revenue to the state. In 2002, the exvessel | | | | that are free floating from boats, and |
| value for combined fisheries totaled $955 | | | | setnets that have one end attached to the |
| million with $162 million from salmon. | | | | shoreline. Boat size is limited to 32 feet or |
| | | | less in Bristol Bay; otherwise, the average |
| Salmon fishing permits are issued to | | | | range is 30 to 40 feet. Gillnetters primarily |
| individuals, not corporations, through the | | | | harvest sockeye, chum and coho. |
| "limited entry permit system". The total | | | | |
| number of available permits for each fishery | | | | Purse Seiners use a large floating net, |
| is strictly limited. Fishermen may not own | | | | pulled and set in circle by a power skiff, to |
| more than one salmon permit for the same gear | | | | surround schooling salmon. The weighted |
| type and area. This creates a fishery made up | | | | "purse line" at bottom of the net is drawn |
| of many individuals and families. | | | | closed to contain the fish. The net full of |
| | | | fish is then gathered to the boat through a |
| Three main gear types catch Alaska salmon: | | | | highpowered hydraulic block. |
| trolling, gillnetting, and purse seining. All | | | | |
| commercial salmon fishing boats are | | | | Purse seiners are not allowed north of the |
| relatively small vessels; averaging 30 to 50 | | | | Alaska Peninsula; boat size is limited to 58 |
| feet. | | | | feet. Purse Seiners harvest mainly pink |
| | | | salmon near the shoreline and close to fresh |
| Trollers use long trolling poles to pull or | | | | water spawning grounds where runs are highly |
| troll 2 to 4 deep weighted lines through the | | | | concentrated. |
| water, each with 8 - 12 leaders attached. At | | | | |