Federal fisheries scientists have recommended a slightly lower allowable harvest in 2010 for Bering Sea pollock, a major groundfish fishery worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Scientists recommended a maximum catch limit of 813,000 metric tons of Pollock in 2010, down from 815,000 metric tons in 2009.
The recommendation came during a meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s groundfish plan team Nov. 17 in Seattle. The full council will set the 2010 total allowable catch for the pollock fishery during its December meeting in Anchorage.
The council’s advisory panel and scientific and statistical committee, who make their own recommendations to the full council, generally accept the recommendations of the groundfish plan team, said Mark Fina, the council’s senior economist.
Alaskan pollock is commonly used in imitation crab meat, fish sticks and fillet of fish sandwiches.