Alaska Groundfish Industry Catch Statistics
There are many types of groundfish that reside on Alaska's ocean floor including species such as sablefish (black cod), Alaska pollock, Pacific cod, and several flatfish including yellowfin sole, rock sole, and Atlantic flounder (also known as turbot).
Alaska's groundfish industry has not been very strong of late. Alaska fishermen were given a quota of 813,000 metric tons of pollock in 2010, down from 815,000 in 2009. These are the lowest allowable catch numbers since the 1980s. Predictably, Alaska pollock roe production was way down too. This has made it a rough time to be in the pollock fishing business, especially in the Bering Sea.
Alaska's blackcod fishermen have experienced some down times in recent years. In 2001, they landed 26,348,302 pounds and got paid over $3.00 per pound. Mostly due to the IFQ system, Alaska's blackcod fishermen were able to maintain these very high prices.
Many Alaskans believe and hope that plentiful groundfish will provide a solid foundation for the future of the state's fishing industry.
