Fisheries scientist meeting this week in Seattle are recommending a more than 17 percent reduction in the Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) of Alaska pollock in the Eastern Bering Sea.

North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) planning team scientists are recommending an ABC of 1,792,000 metric tons, which is down from 17 percent from the 2,163,000 metric tons recommended for the 2019 fishing season.

But there is more work to be done before any ABC or resulting total allowable catch (TAC) figures are set for the approaching season.

The 2019 Bering Sea TAC, which is based on the ABC, was set at 1,397,000 metric tons. The lower ABC being proposed for 2020 does not necessarily mean a decrease in the 2020 TAC.

The Aleutian Island (AI) 2020 recommended ABC is 55,125 metric tons, up from the 2019 ABC of 52,887 metric tons. The Bogoslof area 2020 recommended ABC of 137,310 metric tons is the same as the area's 2019 ABC.

The council is meeting this week to go over fisheries survey data and is expected to set the pollock TAC in December.

At October’s GroundFish Forum in Berlin, the total pollock harvest – the United States and Russia combined – is estimated to decline slightly to 3.442 million metric tons from the projected 3.451 million metric tons this year. The US share is forecast to be more than 1.5 million metric tons.

Pacific Cod

Scientists at the NPFMC meeting are also recommending a lower 2020 Bering Sea Pacific cod ABC of 137,000 metric tons. The ABC for Pacific cod in 2019 was 181,000 metric tons.

Fisheries

Scientists recommending decrease in 2020 Bering Sea pollock ABC