Following the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Anchorage earlier this month, the total allowable catch (TAC) for Gulf of Alaska pollock and Pacific cod for 2019 has been reduced, while the Gulf of Alaska total allowable catch for sablefish in the coming year was slightly raised.
The TAC for pollock was reduced by from 166,228 metric tons (MT) this year to 141,227 MT next year, a 25,001 (MT) decrease. The TAC for Pacific cod in the Gulf was reduced from 13,096 MT this year to 12,368 MT next year. The sablefish TAC in the Gulf was raised from 11,505 MT this year to 11,571 MT next year, a very small increase.
At the same time, the NPFMC has decided to raise TAC of pollock in the Eastern Bering sea by 33,000 MT, to 1,378,411 MT next year. The TAC in the Aleutian Islands will remain the same at 19,000 MT next year.
The yellowfin sole TAC will remain the same next year at 154,000 MT.
Russia, which is one of Alaska’s main competitors when it comes to pollock production, has confirmed that they will barely increase the TAC of pollock next year from 1.781 million MT this year to 1.786 million MT next year. However, the Sea of Okhotsk, which has Marine Stewardship Council certification, will see a small reduction in TAC from 966,000 MT this year to 964,000 MT next year.
Testimony about the pollock, cod, and sablefish biomass from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists at the meeting played into the council’s decision.
