CAPTAIN’S LOG

Wild Alaska Cruises and Sport Fishing

7 days ago

Take a minute, read and get angry. CORRUPTION OF TRAWLERS
Since industrial trawling began in Alaska more than six decades ago, fleets have discarded an estimated 437 million tons of fish, representing roughly $560 billion in waste. This staggering loss has reshaped life along the coast and deep into the Yukon and Kuskokwim River systems, where families once relied on salmon run to fill smokehouses and sustain winter survival.
Today, those smokehouses stand empty. The king (Chinook) and chum salmon that once hung in abundance on drying racks have vanished. Subsistence families who used to prepare the summer’s catch for the cold months now face scarcity and hunger. In many villages, traditional foods have been replaced by expensive, processed imports—salty, sugary, and stripped of nutrition. The result is a public‑health crisis intertwined with cultural collapse.
The State of Alaska’s restrictive fishing orders, imposed after salmon returns plummeted, have further punished subsistence communities. Nets, boats, and motors have been confiscated; some families have lost their only means of feeding themselves. Meanwhile, corporate trawler owners—living far from Alaska in multimillion‑dollar homes—continue profiting from the destruction.
These same interests wield influence over state leadership, ensuring policies that protect their bottom line while ignoring the suffering of Native families. The outcome is visible and cruel: the rich literally taking food off the tables of the poor, eroding health, heritage, and hope for future generations. #captainlarry ... See MoreSee Less