Scientists recommend slightly lower pollock catch

Government scientists have come up with their recommendation for next year's allowable catch of Bering Sea pollock - the nation's largest commercial fishery.

Scientists attending a Seattle meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council on Tuesday recommended an allowable catch of 813,000 tons - slightly lower than last year and down significantly from the previous year of 1 million metric tons.

The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council is scheduled to set the 2010 total allowable catch for Bering Sea pollock during its December meeting in Anchorage.

The recommendation from scientists confirms that the pollock population remains low. The 2009 assessment indicated that the spawning mass was at its lowest level in 30 years.

"The 2009 survey data presented in September indicated that the 2008 two-year projection for biomass would likely be revised downwards after further analysis, and that has proven true," said Doug DeMaster, director of NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

He said the pollock spawning biomass has fallen below target levels because fewer young fish entered the population between 2001 and 2005.

The 2010 catch-level limit recommendation is the lowest to date, said Jon Warrenchuk, a scientist with the conservation group Oceana, adding that the group wanted an even lower catch limit set for pollock.

"Last year was supposed to be the bottom. This year was supposed to see the stock rebounding. People were worried last year when the fish didn't show up, and the fish didn't show up again this year," Warrenchuk said.

Researchers relied on data from observers, combined with data from a 2009 summer bottom trawl and mid-water acoustic surveys of pollock to prepare their analyses. Integrated statistical modeling helps ensure that the fishery will be managed for sustainability and the health of the ecosystem, DeMaster said.

Warrenchuk said government scientists are relying too much on models to develop their estimates instead of looking at how many fish there are in the ocean.

"We would like to see those fish actually appear in the surveys and actually appear in the ocean before they're kind of given away in the quotas," he said.

Pollock is the largest commercial fishing industry by volume in the United States and worth about $1 billion after processing. The meat is used mostly in fish-fillet sandwiches, fish sticks and imitation crab meat.