In a powerful display of responsibility in action, more than 150 volunteers from the Alaska Pollock catcher-processor fleet gathered at Terminal 91 today for the first-ever Net Recycling Day. Today’s event was a collaborative hands-on effort to dismantle and recycle end-of-life fishing nets previously used for harvesting Wild Alaska Pollock—the world’s most sustainable whitefish.

Five of the region’s predominant fishing companies led the event, including: American Seafoods, Arctic Storm Management Group, Coastal Villages Region Fund, Glacier Fish Company and Trident Seafoods. These companies are all members of the At-Sea Processors Association working collectively to raise the bar on sustainable fisheries management.

Volunteers from each of the five companies, as well as from other companies that support and partner with the Wild Alaska Pollock fishery, teamed up throughout the day to cut, sort and prepare four retired fishing nets for recycling. Participants worked side by side with vessel captains, crew, and gear experts, gaining first-hand experience working with the gear and learning how each part functions.

The recycled net material will be sent to specialized facilities where it will be repurposed into new life forms including decking, outdoor furniture and sports equipment, lunch trays, and other goods, thereby extending the life of gear that might otherwise accumulate in coastal communities or in landfills.

"Fishing gear doesn't last forever—but it also doesn't have to go to waste. As we continuously improve our nets and gear, it is encouraging to know that the gear that has served one useful purpose can now serve another one," said Tim Fitzgerald, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Seafoods. "Today’s Net Recycling Day brought out the catcher-processor sector of the Alaska Pollock industry together in a deeply collaborative way to show that recycling efforts are possible—and already happening—right here in Seattle."

While this is the inaugural event for all five companies representing the catcher-processor sector of the Alaska Pollock fishery, net recycling events have been held, individually, by some of the companies for years. American Seafoods, for example, has been holding its own net recycling events since 2021.

“Access to resources for responsible recycling and disposal of old fishing gear is a pressing need. Any step we can take to prevent accumulation of marine debris, microplastics, and ghost gear, results in valuable lessons we hope to share with other fisheries,” said Caitlin Yeager, Vice President of the At-Sea Processors Association. “Our members are constantly evaluating their fishing practices through collaborative research, improved bycatch reduction devices, and new technology such as live feed cameras. Getting rid of the old makes way for the new and serves as a reminder of the strides being taken in our commitment to responsible fisheries management.”

The Net Recycling Day took place yesterday May 28, at Pier 91, from 8:30am – 3:30pm. Multimedia clips from the event, including photo and video, can be found here.