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.
- 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.
- Distribution and Feeding Ecology of Juvenile Walleye Pollock and Capelin in the Gulf of Alaska Relative to Local Hydrography and Zooplankton Distribution
By: E. A. LOGERWELL, J. T. DUFFY-ANDERSON, M. T. WILSON, P. LIVINGSTON
Conference: Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2008
(2008 poster, .pdf, 1.64M) Online.
- The Effects of Climate Change on Walleye Pollock Spawning Habitat in the Eastern Bering Sea
By: ANNE B. HOLLOWED, MARISSA SMITH, STEVEN J. BARBEAUX, JAMES N. IANELLI, SIGRID SALO
Conference: Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2008
(2008 poster, .pdf, 3.19MB) Online.
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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
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Thermal Influences on Walleye Pollock Behavior and the Bering Sea Food Web
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Salmon Bycatch Patterns in the Eastern Bering Sea Pollock Trawl Fisheries
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GOA Pollock (Groundfish Stock Assessment Summaries for 2007)
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AI Pollock (Groundfish Stock Assessment Summaries for 2007)
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Bogoslof Island Pollock (Groundfish Stock Assessment Summaries for 2007)
- Additional publications, posters, and reports.
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(Source: North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports.)
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