It just does not get any planner than this--What happened then is affecting us now.
Problem statement:
In the mid-1990’s, the Council and NMFS implemented regulations to control the bycatch of
chum salmon and Chinook salmon taken in BSAI trawl fisheries. These regulations established
closure areas in areas and at times when salmon bycatch had been highest based on historical
observer data. Unfortunately, these regulations did not appear to have been effective in 2003 and
2004, when record amounts of salmon bycatch were taken. Information from the fishing fleet
indicates that bycatch was exacerbated by the regulations, as much higher salmon bycatch rates
were encountered outside of the closure areas.