News Summary December 12, 2016
Today's Main Story: Pollock TAC Basically Unchanged in Bering Sea for 2017, Despite Huge increase in Biomass
The news opens reporting that despite the big increase in Alaska pollock biomass and allowable catch, the industry negotiations and the North Pacific Council Recommendations this year were for an insignificant 5000 metric ton increase in BSAI pollock. At the December meeting that ends tomorrow, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council added 5,000 mt to the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for 2017 and 2018. With a total catch limit in the entire Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands of 2 million metric tons, the pollock TAC was far below an Allowable Biological Catch of 2.8 million in 2017 and nearly 3 million projected for 2018. Besides pollock, there are 21 other species or species complex harvested from the area.
In other news, federal fishing regulators say they are looking to change the way they manage Atlantic halibut in the wake of a surge in catch of the fish. The government lists Atlantic halibut as “overfished” and conservationists want to protect it. But many fishermen say the catch is up because the stock has been rebuilt over recent years. The regulatory New England Fishery Management Council decided last month to review management of halibut, which is popular with diners and chefs for its thick, meaty steaks. Exactly what form regulation changes could take isn
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