Alaska legislation · 34th Legislature
Alaska HJR35: BYCATCH LIMITS
Status: In committee, February 23, 2026
Urging federal fisheries managers to reduce trawl bycatch, maintain existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement; and supporting federal efforts aimed at reducing bycatch and benthic habitat contact.
What the bill says
A resolution Urging federal fisheries managers to reduce trawl bycatch, maintain existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement; and supporting federal efforts aimed at reducing bycatch and benthic habitat contact.
From the introduced text:
A RESOLUTION Urging federal fisheries managers to reduce trawl bycatch, maintain existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement; and supporting federal efforts aimed at reducing bycatch and benthic habitat contact. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: WHEREAS the state's salmon species are central to the state's identity, economy, food security, and cultural traditions, and support commercial, subsistence, and sport fisheries across urban and rural communities alike; and WHEREAS bottom dwelling species, such as crab, halibut, and other groundfish, play an essential role in the marine ecosystem and contribute to habitat structure, biodiversity, and long-term ecosystem resilience; and WHEREAS trawl fisheries operating in federal water off the state's coast incidentally capture significant numbers of salmon and bottom dwelling species as bycatch, resulting in the waste of fish that are neither retained for sale nor available to state residents for food or economic benefit; and WHEREAS trawl bycatch reduces harvest opportunities for the state's fishermen, HJR035a -1- HJR New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS1450\N undermines subsistence access, and disproportionately affects coastal and river communities that depend on healthy, predictable salmon returns; and WHEREAS repeated bycatch of salmon and benthic species places additional stress on fish populations already facing warming oceans, changing food webs, habitat disturbance, and other environmental pressures; and WHEREAS contact between trawl gear and the …
Sponsors
- Justin Ruffridge (R, HD-007) · primary sponsor
- Neal Foster (D, HD-039)
Latest actions
- : (H) COSPONSOR(S): FOSTER
- : (H) REFERRED TO FISHERIES
- : (H) FSH, RES
- : (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
Subjects: FISH & GAME (FISH), FOOD, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, RESOURCES, PLANNING, COASTAL MANAGEMENT, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
Common questions
- What is HJR35?
- HJR35 is a bill in the Alaska Legislature (34th Legislature): BYCATCH LIMITS.
- What does HJR35 do?
- In its own words: A resolution Urging federal fisheries managers to reduce trawl bycatch, maintain existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement; and supporting federal efforts aimed at reducing bycatch and benthic habitat contact.
- What is the status of HJR35?
- In committee as of February 23, 2026. Latest action: (H) COSPONSOR(S): FOSTER (February 25, 2026).
- Who sponsored HJR35?
- Justin Ruffridge (R, HD-007), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HJR35?
- On the Alaska Legislature website: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HJR 35
Source: official Alaska record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.