National Fisherman

Margaret Bauman

Alaska Correspondent

Margaret Bauman is an Alaskan journalist focused on covering fisheries and environmental issues.

Author Archive

Over 100 groundfish industry volunteers worked in 80 degree heat at Terminal 91 at the Port of Seattle on May 28 to clean four huge midwater trawl nets to recycle plastics in the into new products. Photo by John Dunlap, Trident Seafoods

Groundfish industry cleans 55,935 pounds of nets for recycling

Bering Sea pollock come aboard a trawler. NMFS video image.

North Pacific council seeks public comment on pelagic trawl gear

Copper River salmon. National Park Service photo.

Copper River sockeye fillets are a hot seller

Alaska's seafood industry generates $5.Alaska's seafood industry generates $5.3 billion in value annually, supporting more than 15,000 Alaskans across 120 communities statewide. Shutterstock photo.

Alaska seafood industry valued at $5.3 billion

A new policy brief released concludes that most seafood imported into the United States lacks basic catch documentation and traceability. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Major gaps remain in monitoring of seafood imports

According to a recent report, the 2025 Pacific salmon harvest totaled 425.7 million fish, marking the lowest aggregate for an odd-numbered year since 1987. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

NPAFC reports lowest odd-year harvest of Pacific salmon

A Southeast Alaska commercial harvester has been sentenced to jail, a $20,000 fine, and forfeiture of his commercial fishing boat after conviction of numerous commercial fishing violations. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Alaska harvester sentenced, fined for multiple commercial fishing violations

The Little Susitna River in the Talkeetna Mountain range is a 313-mile-long river in southcentral Alaska. Photo courtesy of Michael Siluk

Groundwater plays a critical role in Southcentral Alaska salmon rivers

Pollock trawlers operate under strict bycatch limits designed to protect Pacific salmon stocks. Shuttertsock photo.

Research continues toward automated bycatch monitoring

University of Washington researchers are forecasting a 2026 total Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run of 41.5 million fish, with slightly larger fish than in 2025. Photo courtesy of theautumnonempire

Bristol Bay sockeye forecast drops below recent average for 2026