When people think of fishing, the picture that usually comes to mind is a boat with guys holding a bunch of individual rods, usually with fish hooks on a simple line. The fact of the matter is a bit more complicated when it comes to commercial fishing. Lines are used, true, but frequently nets and other methods are also employed. Recently, with a move to keeping the oceans stocked with a hearty supply of fish, a number of fleets have begun debating about whether or not certain techniques are contributing to overfishing or damaging the environment. A number of suggestions have been made for the best way to right the wrongs that some members of the fishing industry have committed, and the two biggest solutions are to change the fishing methods and enact stricter rules about when it's okay to fish and when it isn't.
A huge advance in fishing is switching more to the technique of trolling. At the rate that those who work in the waters of Alaska are going, troll-caught salmon are going to outnumber those caught otherwise in the next couple of years. There are a number of benefits to trollers, including bringing back an image that's closer to what most people imagine when they picture fishing. These small fishing vessels are operated by only a couple of people, who fish with a number of lines. This works particularly well for salmon, because instead of having to brave the high seas, the fishermen can instead wait in the spots the salmon are known to go during their epic migrations.
With trolling, there's actually less of a wait for fishermen, because trollers are allowed out first, long before the gigantic boats and their epic rigs. Troll-caught salmon actually demand a better price, too, since it's a smaller operation, so it is helping to encourage fishermen who switch to a more sustainable method when you go with the fresh fish from the sea rather than grown fish from a fish lab.
For those shoppers who are trying to do a better job at being eco-friendly with their purchases, going for troll-caught salmon is a great move not just for the environment, but also, for your quality of salmon, too. Since each individual fish is caught with a hook on a line, and then taken off by hand and packed in ice, there's a sense of personal care given that is missed when large boats are processing gigantic amounts of fish all at once and just dumping them boat-side. Switching your purchases to troll-caught salmon doesn't just help promote the most eco-friendly method of fishing and preserve delicate populations. It also gets you the best salmon for your buck!
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.
Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Food & Beverage Articles Via RSS!
