Unalaska, AK – The guideline harvest level (GHL) for the Aleutian Islands state-waters Pacific cod fishery has been set at 15.5 million pounds, a substantial increase over last year.

"We base our GHL on the federal allowable biological catch. Since theirs went up, ours went up to," says Heather Fitch, the management biologist at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Unalaska. "It's our biggest GHL yet."

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has apportioned a maximum of 70% -- or 10.9 million pounds - to the A season harvest. That season opens four days after the catcher-processor trawl season closes in state waters, and it runs up to June 10, with a potential break in between for the opening of the parallel fishery.

Fitch says that's it unclear when the season will actually open.

"It's really unpredictable at this point. We're really not sure which way the fishery is going to go," says Fitch. "I do know that usually if our fishery does not open around March 15, we don't get as much participation. If the cod start to disaggregate, then our fishery doesn't do so well. So, we're really hoping we get to open our fishery by that time."

The remainder of the harvest has been allocated to the B season, which opens in federal waters on June 10. The Pacific cod fishery will be open in state waters west of 170 degrees west longitude.

The daily harvest limit has been set at 150,000 pounds per vessel, and no vessel can carry more than that weight of unprocessed cod on board at any time.

Because the area open to fishing in state-waters is does not cover areas 541, 542, and 543, it is not affected by the recent Steller sea lion closures.