The Bycatch Report exists because the people of the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers deserve to know what's happening to their salmon in the open ocean.

The Problem

Every year, industrial pollock trawlers operating in the Bering Sea accidentally catch and kill hundreds of thousands of salmon. These aren't random ocean fish — genetic testing proves a significant percentage originate from Western Alaska rivers, the same rivers that Alaska Native communities depend on for subsistence.

While our communities face fishing closures and restrictions, the bycatch data remains buried in dense federal reports that most people will never read. The regulatory bodies (NOAA, NMFS, NPFMC) publish the numbers, but they don't make them accessible.

What We Do

• Pull publicly available bycatch data from NOAA's Catch Accounting System
• Track trawler positions using AIS (Automatic Identification System) vessel data
• Identify vessel ownership — who profits from killing our salmon
• Present it all in a format anyone can understand

Data Sources

• NOAA ERDDAP — RESTful API for oceanographic and fisheries data
• NMFS Observer Program — 100% observer coverage on pollock trawlers
• Alaska Catch Accounting System — Weekly bycatch reports by area
• AIS Vessel Tracking — Real-time vessel position data
• NPFMC Reports — Annual genetic stock composition analysis
• Corporate Filings — Vessel ownership and operator details

Phase 2

This initial release covers the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands pollock fishery — the single largest source of salmon bycatch in North America. Future phases will expand to cover the Gulf of Alaska and other regions.