Billions of pounds of Alaska pollock are caught each year to supply McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, fish sticks and imitation crab. But the nets also catch salmon and other marine life. Along the Yukon, Indigenous communities face a seven-year Chinook fishing ban as depleted runs struggle to recover. Scientists point to changing ocean conditions as a major driver, while critics say bycatch is one source managers can control. The issue has spilled into Alaska’s Senate and governor races. ▻