RESOURCE ECOLOGY & FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
(REFM) DIVISION (cont.)

STATUS OF STOCKS AND MULTISPECIES ASSESSMENT PROGRAM:

2003 Stock Assessment Summary

The Status of Stocks and Multispecies Assessment Program (SSMA) completed stock assessments for major groundfish stocks in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. Information from a variety of sources were used including survey biomass estimates provided by the RACE Division, fishery catch estimates from the NMFS Alaska Regional Office, fishery-dependent biological samples from the REFM Observer Program, and fishery and survey age composition data from the REFM Age and Growth Program. Final SAFE reports were prepared for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) meetings. The NPFMC used the assessments to recommend levels of acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the 2004 fishing season.

Scientists from the SSMA Program participated in preparation of many of the assessment chapters for the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands regions. Scientists from the Auke Bay Laboratory (ABL), RACE Division, and ADF&G authored or contributed to the development of the SAFE chapters.

In 2003, 16 stocks or stock complexes in the BSAI were assessed: walleye pollock, Pacific cod, yellowfin sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, flathead sole, arrowtooth flounder, Alaska plaice, other flatfish (includes 16 species of flatfish), BSAI Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker/rougheye rockfish, other rockfish, sablefish, Atka mackerel, and “other species” (see Table 1 above for species included in stock complexes). In addition, a preliminary assessment of Aleutian Islands pollock was included as an appendix to the walleye pollock chapter of the BSAI SAFE. With the exception of sablefish, SSMA stock assessment authors were lead authors for all BSAI assessments. In the GOA, 15 stocks or stock complexes were assessed: walleye pollock, Pacific cod, sablefish, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, flatfish, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, shortraker/rougheye and other slope rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead, Atka mackerel and skates. Preliminary assessments of Dover sole, dusky rockfish, and forage fish were included as appendices to the SAFE. SSMA authors were the primary authors on 8 of the 15 GOA assessment chapters. Major findings for selected assessments are summarized in the following pages, grouped by management area and species.

The values presented in the following pages reflect information found in the SAFE documents developed by the NPFMC’s Plan Teams for groundfish fisheries in the GOA and BSAI. The complete stock assessment documents can be found at http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/refm.stocks/assessments.htm. It should be noted that the Plan Team ABC and Total Allowable Catch (TAC) recommendations are reviewed by the NPFMC advisory bodies, and the Council recommends the final TAC. Thus, the values presented below may differ from the final Council recommendations. For information on final groundfish specifications, please consult the NPFMC’s web page, http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.

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AFSC Quarterly
Research Reports
Oct-Nov-Dec 2003