Walleye Pollock Research
Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is a key species
in the Alaska groundfish complex and a target species for one of
the world's largest fisheries. Walleye pollock produce the largest catch of
any single species inhabiting the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone. Pollock is a semipelagic schooling
fish widely distributed in the North Pacific Ocean with
largest concentrations found in the eastern Bering Sea.
Pollock are considered a relatively fast growing
and short-lived species and currently
represents a major biological component of the Bering Sea ecosystem. In the
U.S. portion of the Bering Sea including the Aleutian Islands region, three stocks of pollock are identified for management
purposes.
Pollock in the Gulf of Alaska are managed as a single stock independently of pollock
in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The separation of pollock in Alaskan
waters into eastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska stocks is supported by analysis
of larval drift patterns from spawning locations, genetic studies of allozyme
frequencies, mtDNA variability, and microsatellite allele variability.
During 2006, pollock made up 71.4% of the average groundfish catch off Alaska. The pollock catch for 2006 was 1.56 million metric tons (t), down approximately 0.4% from 2005.
The next major species, Pacific cod, accounted for 239,427 t or 10.9% of the total 2006 groundfish catch. The Pacific cod catch was down about 5.4% from a year earlier.
The 2006 catch of flatfish, which includes yellowfin sole, rock sole, and arrowtooth flounder was 231,343 t, up about 10.1% from 2005.
Other important species are sablefish (0.7%), rockfish (1.9%), and Atka mackerel (2.9%).
- HONKALEHTO, T., D. McKELVEY, and K. WILLIAMS.
2008. Results of the March 2007 echo integration-trawl survey of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) conducted in the southeastern Aleutian Basin near Bogoslof Island, Cruise MF2007-03. AFSC Processed Rep. 2008-01, 37 p. Alaska Fish. Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115. (.pdf, 2 MB). Online.
- WILLIAMS, K.
2007. Evaluation of the macroscopic staging method for determining maturity of female walleye Pollock Theragra chalcogramma in Shelikof Strait, Alaska. Alaska Fish. Res. Bull. 12:252-263. (.pdf, 700KB) Online.
- McKELVEY, D., N. WILLIAMSON, and T. HONKALEHTO.
2007. Results of the echo integration-trawl survey of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) on the Bering Sea shelf in June and July 2006. AFSC Processed Rep. 2007-08, 39 p. Alaska Fish Sci. Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Ser., NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115. (.pdf, 1.74 MB). Online.
- HOLLOWED, A. B., C. D. WILSON, P. J. STABENO, and S. A. SALO.
2007. Effect of ocean conditions on the cross-shelf distribution of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and capelin (Mallotus villosus). Fish. Oceanogr. 16:142-154.
- Using Acoustic Data From Vessels of Opportunity to Estimate Walleye Pollock Abundance in the Eastern Bering Sea
By: PATRICK RESSLER, TAINA HONKALEHTO, RICHARD TOWLER, CHRISTOPHER WILSON Conference: SEAFACTS International Symposium on the Ecosystem Approach..., Bergen, Norway, June 2008 (2008 poster, .pdf, 624KB) Online. - The Effect of Light Intensity on the Availability of Walleye Pollock to Bottom Trawl and Acoustic Surveys
By: STAN KOTWICKI, ALEX De ROBERTIS, PAUL von SZALAY, NED LAMAN, RICK TOWLER Conference: NMFS National Stock Assessment Workshop, Port Townsend, WA, Mar 2008 (2008 poster, .pdf, 1.61MB) Online. -
Winter Surveys in the Gulf of Alaska
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Miller Freeman and Oscar Dyson Vessel Comparison
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A Tradable Salmon Bycatch Quota System for the Pollock Fishery?
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Eastern Bering Sea Pollock Fishery
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FIT and SSMA Personnel Lead Winter Survey in the Central Aleutian Islands
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Summer 2007 Pollock Acoustic-Trawl Survey
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Summer Field Season
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Aleutian Islands Cooperative Acoustic Survey Study
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Reduced Ability of Parasitized Juvenile Walleye Pollock To Capture Prey
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Winter Surveys in Gulf of Alaska and Southeastern Bering Sea Near Bogoslof Island
- Additional publications, posters, and reports.
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(Source: North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports.)
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