In this eye-opening episode of The State I Am In, I’m joined by Ryan Astalos and Jackie Boyer from SalmonState to break down one of the most urgent issues facing Alaska today: industrial trawling and the devastating impact of bycatch. We unpack what trawling actually is, who profits from it, and who pays the price—especially the Alaskan communities relying on the return of wild salmon. 

Why do Seattle-based factory trawlers get a pass while sportfishers and subsistence users face tight limits? Why are millions of pounds of wasted fish ignored while rural families are told to do more with less? 

But we don’t stop there. We dig into what Alaska’s representatives are (and aren’t) saying, who really has the power to change this, and how everyday Alaskans can, and must—raise their voices. This is a conversation that cuts across party lines and strikes at the heart of what it means to live here. 

The time to act is now. If we want a future with fish, it’s going to take all of us. 

Visit www.salmonstate.org to learn more