The new monitoring station is located in a river where threatened species of Chinook salmon and steelhead migrate through from the Pacific Ocean to spawn. The new data that will be collected is essential in monitoring the species numbers and help with conservation efforts. The California Department of Water Resources will be able to more accurately record the timing, number, species, and origin of the fish swimming through. The station is located near the bottom of the low flow channel, a location that has a perfect water temperature and gravely bottom for spawning. They set up motion detecting cameras in order to observe the fish and record data about them. 

I think that this is a really great idea as long as it doesn’t disrupt the ecosystem, but it most likely does not since the organization is trying to help the fish. The article also mentioned that the reason they are moving to a new location to view the fish is that the fish have changed their spawning area after the construction of the Oroville Dam. Dams are super harmful to wildlife and fish migration, but it’s good that the animals were able to adapt to the disruption. I hope that the CDWR will be able to help the fish even more with the data they collect.

A new Dungeness crab fishery is set to open in January despite issues with equipment entanglement, crab meat quality issues, and elevated levels of domoic acid. The fishery is set to open in the California and Oregon state border, to the southern boundary of the Redding Rock State Marine protected Areas, and Cape Mendocino. One area was put on pause due to high levels of domoic acid, but it was recently ruled as safe for public consumption and will be opening soon. Domoic acid is a naturally occurring bio toxin that is produced by a certain species of algae. 

It seems unnecessary to open a new section of waters to crabbing since there are already so many issues relating to whale entanglements and a harm to marine ecosystems and life. Fishermen are already doing alright with the amount of sea available, so there isn’t really an economic reason to open up more fisheries. It will just have a negative impact on the ocean’s ecosystem and cause more damage to the planet.

California is testing forms of pop-up netting and gear to stop them from catching whales in crab equipment. The tests have been really successful and the gear is easily enforceable. The alternative gear types have been tested all over the country, but California’s dungeness crab pilot program is the largest experiment. The gear is affordable and reliable, and it is just awaiting authorization to be used in commercial crabbing. The tests reported a gear loss of just 0.2%, despite having to carry even more gear on boats. The gear is supposed to be approved before Spring 2026. 

I think that the new forms of gear are a great solution because it balances the wellbeing of animals with the economic necessities of fishermen. It is a way more sustainable because there isn’t any gear loss that damages ecosystems, and it doesn’t trap whales and other animals in the netting. I also think the current solution works well because it just leads to less fishing and more time for ecosystems to rebalance, but that can be damaging to the livelihoods of fishermen. Overall, I think that the new technologies are beneficial.

California delayed the start of the crabbing season by several months in order to stop whales and sea turtles from getting tangled in fishing gear. The delay is difficult for ports and fishing communities, but this decision was supported given the current risk assessment. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association is working heavily with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure that whales and turtles are not being harmed by fishing. In 2024, 36 whales were found tangled in fishing gear, and 31 were humpbacks, which is a staggering amount. As of October 2025, four humpbacks were found in fishing gear. The collaboration of the PCFFA and the CDFW is essential in protecting these endangered species.

Taking this issue seriously is really important because of the amount of whales that were killed in 2024. I’m really glad that these organizations are taking the issue seriously even though it is damaging to the economy and fishing ports. The article also discussed that they are trying to find solutions to gear that doesn’t catch humpbacks and turtles, which would be a great solution to the issue of animals getting caught and fishermen struggling economically.

The National Marine Fisheries Service opened all-depth fishing for several species of rockfish after data revealed that they weren’t endangered. In December of 2023, data reported that quillbacked rockfish were overfished, so regulations like depth constraints were placed to prevent them from becoming endangered. A new data report showed that the rockfish are not endangered and likely never were, the previous data was just limited and made it look that way. Data shows that quillback rockfish stock is currently above its proxy for maximum sustainable yield, so regulations are being dropped and fishing is available to all depths.

It’s really great that the fisheries service is paying attention to the amount of fish and placing regulations in order to protect the species. Although it would be better if they were trying to wean out of fishing altogether, it is an important part of the economy and many people rely on it to support their families. It’s hard to say how many people are respecting the regulations being made, but it’s still important that fishery management and fish data is being taken seriously, and that people are monitoring fish to make sure that species continue to exist and are being fished sustainably.

McBride, Oliver. “Icelandic Sea Fisheries Catches Increase during July 2025 – the Fishing Daily – Irish, UK and European Fishing Industry News.” The Fishing Daily – Irish, UK and European Fishing Industry News, 27 Aug. 2025, thefishingdaily.com/icelandic-fishing-industry-news/icelandic-sea-fisheries-catches-increase-during-july-2025/. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025

There were recent changes in the amount of fish caught in Iceland during July 2025. It also features a graph listing various types of fish and how much the catches have changed. It lists Cod, Haddock, Saithe, Redfish, Flatfish, and many more. The graph shows that the amount of fish caught increased in July, but decreased in August. Even though the levels might have increased, the graph shows that after a bit of time, the levels evened out again. The article also discusses how the amount of fish caught was more than last July, but that the amount of fish caught overall was decreasing. 

I think it’s interesting to see the data of fish caught without including any opinions about whether or not changes should be made to make fishing more sustainable. Iceland has various policies in place to ensure sustainable fishing, including quotas for the amount of fish that can be caught. I’m not sure exactly how much fish can be caught, but since the amount of fish caught was able to increase, it seems like the limit doesn’t really have an effect on the fishing in Iceland.

Brooks, James. “Federal Appeals Court Preserves Alaska’s Two-Tier System for Subsistence Fishing Management | Alaska Beacon.” Alaska Beacon, 22 Aug. 2025, alaskabeacon.com/2025/08/21/federal-appeals-court-preserves-alaskas-two-tier-system-for-subsistence-fishing-management/. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

This article discusses the recent conflicts about subsistence fishing. A court ruling determined that the federal government can continue to offer preferential fishing rights to Alaskan natives. This preference only exists in public waters that are under federal control because the state does not recognize their need for preferential fishing rights. The main issue that is being debated is whether the federal government should be allowed to control who fishes in bodies of water that are on federal land. The federal government has also imposed other regulations on who has fishing priority, while the state has not, leading to disagreements over who has priority.

I think that it’s super important for Alaskan natives to have priority for subsistence fishing since it is way more sustainable than industrial fishing. Alaskan natives believe that animals are to be respected and that they should only take what they need, as well as that they should use every part of the animal and that there isn’t any unnecessary waste. I think that revoking their rights to fish would be damaging because it is deeply rooted in their culture. The oceans would be much healthier if Alaska only allowed subsistence fishing and commercial fishing was nonexistent or very heavily regulated.

The Maritime Executive. “Ghana Adopts a New Fisheries Law to Curb IUU Fishing.” The Maritime Executive, 24 Aug. 2025, maritime-executive.com/article/ghana-adopts-a-new-fisheries-law-to-curb-iuu-fishing. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Ghana recently passed a new law to stop illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing in West Africa. IUU fishing had dominated the oceans for a while, costing Ghana between $14.4 and $23.7 million per year. Ghana passed this law in order to remain a part of the European seafood market. This act protects the rights and livelihoods of over 200,000 small-scale fishermen by creating a larger IEZ that is double the size of the previous one. An inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) allows smaller fishing boats to fish without competition from industrial trawlers. Artisanal fishermen have been facing competition from industrial trawlers for a while, mostly Chinese-backed ones, and the government has suspended several of their fishing licenses.

I think that it’s great that Ghana is protecting the rights of smaller-scale fishermen, but I am kind of disappointed that the new law doesn’t do anything specifically for the sustainability of their fishing. Less industrial fishermen will probably help decrease overfishing, but it will still probably affect the oceans. It seemed like the law was more for necessity than a desire to save the oceans, since removal from global seafood markets was what spurred this act. Overall, I wish the law were doing more, but progress is still progress.

Feng Yingxin. “How Does China’s Draft Fisheries Law Balance Conservation with Livelihoods?” Eco-Business, 22 Aug. 2025, www.eco-business.com/news/how-does-chinas-draft-fisheries-law-balance-conservation-with-livelihoods/. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025

 The recent changes to fishing laws in China are upsetting local fishermen. The government is focused on preserving the ocean, and many people feel that the livelihoods of fishermen are in danger. Many fishers have had to seek alternate work with the regulations stopping them from fishing. The new law makes sure that fishers who are seeking other jobs are able to receive training from the government in order to be prepared for different jobs; however, that is not the main focus of the law. The law focuses on making information on when you can fish clearer, and it also bans some types of fishing equipment. Since it’s so hard for fishermen to get jobs, many are turning to illegal fishing and stealing other fishermen’s equipment to survive and make money. By doing this, they end up making more money than if they had looked for other jobs or if they hadn’t done it illegally in the first place. 

Although I can understand why fishermen are disgruntled with the lack of work, I think it’s good that the government is focusing on protecting the ocean. It seems like the system that they have in place to educate retired fishermen on other jobs is a great way to incentivize them to not fish illegally, but I can also see how it might not work in practice. Although it is bad that fishermen are struggling to make a living, I think that protecting the ocean is equally, if not more, important. I think that a better system has to be put into place to stop illegal fishing and help fishermen support their families without destroying the ocean. However, I think that overall, this system is doing a lot more than other countries and is a better system than ignoring the issue.

“Nepal Accepts WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, Three Remaining for Entry into Force.” Wto.org, 2025, www.wto.org/english/news_e/news25_e/fish_18aug25_e.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025

On August 18, Ambassador Subedi of Nepal deposited an instrument of acceptance to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The Ambassador demonstrated Nepal’s approval of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, an agreement meant to stop harmful fisheries subsidies. The agreement was adopted by consensus at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference held in Geneva in June 2022. Three more countries need to accept the proposal for it to enter into force. The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies aims to prohibit subsidies for unregulated fishing and for fishing overfished stocks. The ministers also focused on the needs of underdeveloped countries that rely on fishing by developing a fund that would help the countries that signed the agreement.

I think that the agreement is important because it marks a major step towards ocean sustainability. It aims to prohibit harmful fisheries subsidies, which are an important part of fish depletion. This agreement is the first Sustainable Development Goal target to be fully met, and the first WTO agreement that is focused on the environment. Although I think it would be better if the policies that would help stop overfishing were already in place, I think that it’s good that at least some progress is being made. Once the agreement is confirmed and policies are in place, I hope that the agreement can have a huge impact on the health of oceans and sea life.