The total is 6.4 percent lower than the 2009 harvest of 54 million pounds, but about 1.5 million pounds higher than what the commission staff recommended be adopted. The harvest has decreased more than 16 percent since 2008.
The commission voted 3-2 on Monday to approve the 2010 harvest, Bruce Leaman, executive director of the commission, told IntraFish on Tuesday.
"Obviously, it's more than the staff recommended, but the commission is gong to make decisons not necessarily for the reasons we do," said Leaman.
