Alaska bans pollock fishing in a specific area to protect herring

US fisheries regulators are banning pollock fishing in a specific area of the Bering Sea. This rule aims to prevent fishing boats from accidentally catching too many herring, which are a protected species.

Fishing for one species often means catching others by accident. These accidental catches, called bycatch, can deplete populations of non-target species. This rule means pollock fishers must now avoid an area where herring are known to gather, directly impacting their fishing grounds and methods.