Bottom and Mid-level Trawling by the Fishing Industry Destroys Indigenous Cultures

by Chavah Granovetter

For the 6th consecutive year, indigenous tribal communities in interior Alaska are not permitted to catch King Salmon. A staple in diets and culture. Fishing camps are crumbling to ruin as once again, indigenous cultures are suffering. Subsistence lifestyles will die out in these villages if we do not change our behaviors in the lower 48. Two main causes of the decline of salmon, leading to the restriction against subsistence  fishing: climate change and trawling. While many countries are banning trawling, America is not. Trawling is a type of commercial fishing where large nets are dragged across the ocean floor, or just above it. This destroys the ocean floor and catches everything in its path despite these commercial fisheries targeting specific fish. Their target, pollock.  The cheaper fish used for mass production for  fast food. Long John Silvers, McDonalds, Gorton fish sticks. When we eat trawl caught fish, we are directly taking away from subsistence lifestyle, indigenous tribes.