The National Marine Fisheries Service transferred 14,000 metric tons of unused pollock from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea to maximize 2025 catch levels and support the regional fishing economy.
The 12,100 metric tons of fish were initially allocated to the Aleut Corporation, and 1,900 metric tons belonged to the Community Development Quota (CDQ). The fish population data indicated that the fish would not be caught in the Aleutian Islands, so the fishery management team decided to move them.
The reallocated pollock fish will be distributed among inshore, catcher/processors, motherships, and the CDQ program sectors operating in the Bering Sea. The region’s fishery management plan supports full utilization of the annual catch limit to maintain coastal community economic stability and job support.
The decision went forward without public input because the updated catch data required immediate action. The efficient operation of Alaska’s commercial fisheries depends on the implementation of such prompt reallocations, according to officials.
The decision to maximize this year’s catch limit will reduce economic opportunities for Aleutian Island groups, which will lose major portions of their 2025 pollock allocation through the Aleut Corporation and CDQ program.
