Groundfish quotas, the effects of crab rationalization, and the merits of a halibut catch share plan are the big items on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s agenda this week.

Their December meeting opened up at the Anchorage Hilton this morning. The council spent today listening to reports, but starting tomorrow they will begin discussing the amount of pollock, Pacific cod, and other groundfish that fishermen should be allowed to catch in the Bering Sea. There is a 2 million metric ton limit on how much groundfish can be harvested, and yesterday the council’s science and statistical committee determined that the proportion of that being taken from the pollock fishery should be capped at 1.22 million metric tons. That’s a slight drop from last year’s acceptable biological catch of 1.270 million metric tons.

On Friday, the council is scheduled to consider the five-year review of the crab rationalization program. They will primarily be focusing on the question of how rationalization has affected crew pay.

The council will take up the halibut catch share plan on Saturday, which require charter boats and commercial fishing vessels to be jointly managed if implemented.