Preventing Overfishing in Alaska to Protect the Seafood Stocks

There are many different ways to manage fisheries in places where there is a large amount of seafood to harvest, but the success of the management style differs significantly. You only need to notice what has become of your favorite seafood dish - if it has stayed or if it has gone - to see how some countries are handling the issue. It is no secret that overfishing has already led to the depletion of seafood populations in many different areas of the world. While there was a long time when there was no way to tell what was happening, today there are environmental agencies in place.

Looking to the state of Alaska for guidance on how to manage fisheries seems to be the route to take. Ever since Alaska became a state, there have been laws which were designed to protect the seafood stocks. In a culture where fishing is one of the biggest industries, it makes sense to go this route. However, there have been many instances around the world when a government has turned a blind eye to the Big Business interests and allowed seafood stocks to suffer because of it.

Considering the abundance of wild salmon, scallops, shrimp, crab and lobster in Alaska, you can easily see why overfishing would pop into the mind of different commercial fleets. While it is unlikely they would be conscious of what they were doing, the fact that there was no oversight would allow it to happen. In Alaska, they do not allow for accidents like these, as the Total Allowable Catch totals are set at the beginning of every season and strictly adhered to or even made stronger during the season.

Obviously, the only way to prevent overfishing is to evaluate the population of each seafood species on a regular basis and set limits such as these. If a violator is caught, either a stiff fine or a ban from fishing will ensure that there will not be a repeat offense. Even though it is not pleasant to be caught for one of these offenses, you would be surprised ho hard the agencies still have to work. In the end, the seafood lovers are the big winners.

Interested in learning more about fishing in Alaska? You'll find great bios of some of the state's most famous fishermen at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.