Unalaska, AK – Today the Pacific cod fishery closes to pot catcher processors, following Friday's closure for pot catcher vessels.

It's a quick end to the season for the pot cod vessel. The 27 pot catcher vessels that participated finished in three weeks, even though their quota had gone up 35% over last year. This year's quota was set at 8,685 metric tons, while the 2010 quota had been placed at 6,422 metric tons. Last year, the 24 boats that fished cod took the entire month to wrap up.

Krista Milani, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service Unalaska office, says that this might be the best season in recent memory.

"This year, they're reporting record highs in their deliveries as far as the amount of cod they're able to catch per trip," she says.

Now, the Pacific cod fishery is open to all other gear types. Trawlers were able to begin harvesting the fish on January 20 at noon, and some are worried that they might not be able to outperform the pot cod vessels.

"A lot of the trawl guys are saying that the pot guys have done well, and that there's no fish left because they've already fished it up," says Milani. "But I don't believe that's true."

The ex-vessel price for Pacific cod has hovered around 35 cents, but prices have varied based on fish size and gear type says Unalaska resource analyst Frank Kelty.