Southeast Alaska & Yakutat location map

Commercial Groundfish Fisheries
Southeast Alaska & Yakutat

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Region I Groundfish Project manages and performs research for groundfish fisheries in Southeast Alaska from the Canadian border to the Yakutat area. This group actively manages directed fisheries for sablefish (longline/pot), lingcod (dinglebar/jig), demersal shelf rockfish (DSR; longline), black rockfish (primarily mechanical jig), and Pacific cod (longline). The directed sablefish fisheries occur in Chatham and Clarence Straits and are limited entry. The other directed groundfish fisheries are open access. All directed groundfish fisheries require a permit from the Commercial Fishery Entry Commission (CFEC) and (with the exception of Pacific cod) registration at an ADF&G office prior to fishing. Research is performed for groundfish fisheries through port sampling, surveys, and tagging programs. Annual stock assessments are performed for the Chatham Strait sablefish and the DSR fisheries. Mark-recapture methods are used to estimate abundance for the Chatham Strait sablefish fishery, and a habitat- based stock assessment is used for the DSR fishery. The density of yelloweye rockfish, the primary target of the DSR complex, is estimated from a survey using an un-manned submersible, and rockfish habitat is estimated using sonar and fishing data.

Regulations

Recorded Announcements: For recorded fishery information in Southeast Alaska
please see the Southeast Contacts page.

Fishery Advisory Announcements

Harvest

Lingcod

Sablefish

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

Pacific Cod

Black Rockfish

Additional Information on Calculating Groundfish Bycatch

The Product Recovery Rate (PRR) is used to calculate the whole (round) pounds of fish that have been partially processed at sea. For example, in many fisheries it is expected that the vessel would head and gut the catch before icing to ensure a high-quality product. Because groundfish fishery managers need to know the total amount of biomass removed from the fishery, the PRR provides an estimate of what the fish weighed prior to processing using landed weights and the corresponding delivery code. The PRR can also be used to determine the partially processed weight from round pounds. Depending on the species and method of processing (the delivery code), the PRR will vary. Additional modifiers like ice and slime may be applicable, and users should ensure modifiers are applied when appropriate.

A list of species codes can be found in the Commercial Harvest Species Code Master Table (Excel document)

PRR by species code can be found in the PPR by species Table (Excel document)

Groundfish Bycatch in Groundfish Fisheries

  • Groundfish bycatch retention for groundfish fisheries in the Southeast District is regulated under regulations 5 AAC 28.070 – 5 AAC 28.190, and by emergency order action.
  • Summaries of groundfish bycatch regulations and legal bycatch allowances for directed groundfish fisheries including lingcod, Pacific cod, black rockfish, and state-managed sablefish are included in the ADF&G advisory announcements issued prior to the start of each directed fishery.
  • Groundfish bycatch allowances are set as a percentage of the target species and are based on the whole (round; delivery code 01) weight of the bycatch species in relation to the whole (round; delivery code 01) weight of the target species on board the vessel. For example, a 10% bycatch allowance means that for every 10 lbs of total round weight of a target species on board, 1 lb round weight of that bycatch species may be retained.
  • Full retention of all rockfish including thornyhead is required in the groundfish and halibut fisheries. As a result, rockfish retained over the bycatch limits must be reported as a bycatch overage on an ADF&G fish ticket. Proceeds from the sale of this excess rockfish bycatch must be surrendered to the state; excess rockfish may be retained as personal use or donated and coded as such on the fish ticket.
  • Other bycatch species including lingcod do not fall under full retention requirements; therefore, these species caught in excess of the allowable bycatch limits for a management area are required to be released at sea. Any non-full retention species retained in excess of the allowable bycatch limit are forfeited to the State of Alaska and subject to enforcement action.

PRR Conversions for Calculating Bycatch Allowances for Groundfish Fisheries

Delivery Code 110-Pacific Cod 200-Halibut 135-185-All rockfish 130-Lingcod 710-Sablefish
01-Whole (round) 1 1 1 1 1
03-Bled 0.98   0.98 0.98 0.98
04-Gutted, head on 0.85 0.8333   0.85 0.89
05-Gutted, head off   0.75      
07-Western Cut 0.57     0.72 0.68
08-Eastern Cut 0.47     0.65 0.63

Groundfish Bycatch in the Salmon Troll Fishery

  • Groundfish bycatch retention in the salmon troll fishery is regulated under Article 4. Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area, regulations 5 AAC 28.100 – 5 AAC 28.190, and by emergency order action.
  • A summary of annual groundfish bycatch regulations and legal bycatch allowances for the troll fishery are distributed by ADF&G advisory announcement at the beginning of each year.
  • There are no full retention requirements for groundfish bycatch in the salmon troll fishery. Groundfish bycatch including lingcod caught in excess of the allowable bycatch limit for a management area are required to be released at sea; bycatch retained in excess of the allowable bycatch limits are forfeited to the State of Alaska and subject to enforcement action.

PRR Conversions for Calculating Bycatch Allowances for Salmon Troll Fishery

Delivery Code 410-King 420-Sockeye 430-Coho 440-Pink 450-Chum 130-Lingcod Rockfish
01-Whole (round) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
03-Bled 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98
04-Gilled and gutted 0.88 0.92 0.92 0.91 0.89 0.85  
07-Western Cut 0.72 0.74 0.75 0.73 0.74 0.72  
08-Eastern Cut           0.65  

Examples: To calculate round weight of a species, divide landed weight by the PRR rate of that species, e.g., 300 lbs of gilled and gutted (04) coho salmon is equivalent to 326 lbs of round (01) coho [300 /0.92 = 326].

To calculate delivery code gilled and gutted (04) weight from a round weight, multiply the round weight by the PRR rate of that species, e.g., 326 lbs of round (01) coho salmon is equivalent to 300 lbs of gilled and gutted coho [326 x 0.92 = 300].

Users of this document are advised that this summary is provided to assist in calculating bycatch allowances; however, this document is not inclusive of all regulations associated with bycatch in the salmon troll or groundfish fisheries. Please refer to the ADF&G bycatch advisory announcements for more information on bycatch regulations and bycatch allowances or contact staff in Sitka at 907-747-6688.

Management & Announcements

Southeast Alaska Groundfish Fishery Reports

Search for Reports

Fishery Registrations

Meeting Information / Audio

Maps

Southeast Area Maps

Lingcod

Sablefish

Rockfish

Pacific Cod

Flatfish Trawl Fishery

Black Rockfish

Edgecumbe Pinnacles Marine Reserve

Statewide Maps

Research

Edgecumbe Pinnacles Marine Reserve (link to maps)

Other Research