Pollock Limit Set to Rise In 2015


Monday, December 15 2014
Although there's plenty of fish in the water, the Bering Sea's biggest fishery won't get too much bigger in 2015.
The federal board charged with setting catch limits agreed to put 3 percent more pollock -- or 1.31 million metric tons -- up for harvest next year.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council set the limit this weekend during a meeting in Anchorage. The industry stakeholders and regulators on the board were presented with new data, which shows a substantial increase in the biomass of pollock.
It would be safe to catch more pollock. But the council is also tasked with setting limits for other fisheries -- and keeping the total harvest under 2 million metric tons.
There will be major boosts in some areas: The amount of Atka mackerel that’s up for grabs in the western Aleutian Islands next year will be ten times greater than in 2014. The catch limit for octopus is also set to increase.
But there will be far less flatfish avilable next year, and the Pacific cod limit will drop by about 7,000 metric tons.
Pollock is in high demand overseas, but Alaska is not the only supplier. And it's not the only fishery that's set to grow next year. Russia has approved a ten percent increase in pollock catch in the Sea of Okhotsk. That harvest is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council -- just like Alaska’s.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is scheduled to wrap up its meeting on Tuesday.