KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB161 • 2026

PROHIBIT BOTTOM TRAWLING

An Act relating to the use of certain trawl or dredge fishing gear in state water; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
SENATORS CRONK, Yundt
Last action
2026-03-04
Official status
(S) RES
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment according to metadata, but no specific effective date for the study section was provided beyond 'immediately' under state law.

Ban on Bottom Trawling and Required Study

This bill bans fishing gear that makes substantial contact with the seafloor in Alaska state waters starting January 1, 2028, and requires a study on how this gear affects marine life.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits people from using trawl or dredge gear that makes substantial bottom contact with the seafloor while fishing in state water.
  • Requires the Department of Fish and Game to conduct a comprehensive study on seafloor health and fish habitat.
  • Mandates a report by January 1, 2027, detailing how bottom-contact gear affects fisheries and marine ecosystems.
  • Orders the report to include data on bycatch quantities for each species taken over the last 10 years if available.
  • Requires recommendations in the study about whether this type of fishing should be banned or limited.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Fishers who use trawl or dredge gear that touches the ocean floor
  • The Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Terms To Know

Trawl or dredge fishing gear
Equipment used to catch fish that drags along or scrapes against the bottom of the ocean.
Bycatch
Fishery resources taken unintentionally while targeting a different species.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The ban on using this gear does not take effect until January 1, 2028.
  • The bill states the department will determine what counts as substantial bottom contact, but it does not define that term in detail.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  2. 2026-03-04 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  3. 2025-05-07 Min

    (S) Minutes (SRES)

  4. 2025-05-07 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  5. 2025-05-07 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  6. 2025-04-09 750

    (S) COSPONSOR(S): YUNDT

  7. 2025-04-09 745

    (S) REFERRED TO RESOURCES

  8. 2025-04-09 745

    (S) RES, FIN

  9. 2025-04-09 745

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

PROHIBIT BOTTOM TRAWLING
An Act relating to the use of certain trawl or dredge fishing gear in state water; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB0161A -1- SB 161
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0777\N

SENATE BILL NO. 161

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY SENATORS CRONK, Yundt

Introduced: 4/9/25
Referred: Resources, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the use of certain trawl or dredge fishing gear in state water; and 1
providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 16.10 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4
Sec. 16.10.135. Use of trawl or dredge fishing gear. A person may not use, 5
employ, or operate any trawl or dredge fishing gear that makes substantial bottom 6
contact with the seafloor while in use, as determined by the department, in the water of 7
the state. 8
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 9
read: 10
STUDY AND REPORT ON THE EFFECTS OF BOTTOM TRAWLING AND ON 11
THE CONDITION OF THE SEAFLOOR. The Department of Fish and Game shall conduct a 12
comprehensive study of the health of seafloor ecosystems and fi sh habitat in state water. The 13
department shall submit a report on the results of the departme nt's study under this section to 14
34-LS0777\N
SB 161 -2- SB0161A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of repres entatives on or before January 1, 1
2027, and notify the legislature that the report is available. The report must include 2
(1) information as to how the st ate's fishery resource and sea floor marine 3
ecosystems have been, and may continue to be, affected by the u se of trawl or dredge fishing 4
gear that makes substantial bottom contact with the seafloor while in use; 5
(2) to the extent available, the quantities of fishery resourc es taken as bycatch 6
by fishers using trawl or dredge fishing gear that makes substa ntial bottom contact with the 7
seafloor while in use, including the number of fish of each spe cies, taken over the last 10 8
years; and 9
(3) recommendations as to whether the use of trawl or dredge f ishing gear that 10
makes substantial bottom contact with the seafloor while in use should be prohibited or 11
otherwise limited for 12
(A) the maximum benefit of the state's people; and 13
(B) the sustained yield of the state's fishery resource. 14
* Sec. 3. Section 1 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2028. 15
* Sec. 4. Except as provided in sec. 3 of this Act, this Act takes effect immediately under 16
AS 01.10.070(c). 17