The Alaska Division covers only Alaska but is, by volume, the largest area of commercial fishing harvest within the responsibility of OLE. Commercial harvests of pollock, halibut and sablefish are the primary enforcement responsibilities. Responsibility for enforcement of the crab rationalization program, subsistence halibut fishing and charter halibut fishing also add new and significant service demands. Traditional commercial and recreational salmon fisheries are seasonal concerns.
The Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), Observer and Record Keeping/Reporting programs are the foundations of the Alaska Division program responsibilities. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act priorities include the Steller sea lion and Cook Inlet beluga populations in addition to many other protected resources. Vessel Monitoring is used extensively in Alaska to manage both commercial fishing and the potential jeopardy it may pose to Steller sea lion habitat areas.
International matters involve illegal fishing along the U.S./Russia maritime boundary, high seas driftnet and, recently, the addition of the Arctic Fisheries Management Plan and international efforts to protect this sensitive area. Remote fishing ports, such as Dutch Harbor and Adak in the extended areas of the Aleutian Islands, present unique operational challenges.