Greenland turbot fishermen can now use a new type of gear to avoid killer whales

US fisheries regulators now allow hook-and-line fishing boats to use longline pot gear when catching Greenland turbot in the Bering Sea. This change aims to make fishing more efficient and reduce interactions between fishing gear and killer whales.

For years, fishermen using hooks and lines have struggled with killer whales eating their catch or getting tangled in their gear. This new rule lets them switch to a different type of trap, which should keep whales away from the fish and the lines. It means less lost catch for fishermen and fewer dangerous encounters for whales.