| Alaska salmon trolling is one of four ways to catch | | | | and unscarred. |
| salmon. The others are drift gillnetting, set gillnetting, | | | | Trolling is only permitted in Southeast Alaska. Crew |
| and purse seining. Since none of the gear from any | | | | members are usually limited to a skipper, or vessel |
| of these methods comes into contact with the | | | | captain, and a deckhand. A good relationship between |
| seafloor, salmon fishing methods are not destructive | | | | the two crew members is vital since work days can |
| to nearby habitats and are one reason why this | | | | be as long as 17 hours. With small living quarters and |
| seafood is considered an ocean-friendly option. | | | | long hours, deckhands should pick their skipper wisely |
| Gillnets and purse seines require large nets that trap | | | | to ensure a peaceful season. Moreover, working with |
| and tangle fish in mesh and netting, while trolling uses | | | | a skilled skipper is essential because their choice of |
| baited hooks. There are two different type of | | | | where to drag the line and which kind of bait to use, |
| trollers: manual and power. Obviously, most | | | | will make all the difference in the catch. For this |
| commercial fisheries employ power equipment | | | | reasons, Alaska salmon trolling is considered an art |
| because the alternative is less efficient. | | | | because of the nuanced choices that go into a |
| With Alaskan salmon trolling, fishing lines are pulled | | | | healthy catch. The season ranges from late |
| through the water by a slow-moving boat; once the | | | | June-mid-August, late August-late September. |
| fish are hooked the fisherman use "girdies," or heavy | | | | Pay can range from extreme levels of $400-$500 a |
| duty reels, to bring them up. Unwanted species are | | | | day to a total of $2,500-$6,000 for the two month |
| then released, usually without serious injury. This | | | | season. Pay can also be a fixed percentage, for |
| separation of wanted and unwanted species is also | | | | example 10-15 percent of gross catch. |
| why trolling is considered more ocean friendly than | | | | Overall, fisherman like trolling because it is more like |
| netted options, which can combine all sorts of | | | | an art than the other harvesting methods and |
| species. However, troll caught salmon also command | | | | because it is more exciting to use a line than a net. |
| a higher market price because the fish are left in tact | | | | |