Science behind snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab stock declines in Alaska in 2022. NOAA Fisheries—in close coordination with federal and state partners—is responsible for fostering healthy, productive, and sustainable marine fisheries. Our management process is based on science and conducted according to a process outlined in the Magnuson-Stevens Act. All of our […]
The pollock fishery in the Gulf of Alaska is unique in many ways. The pollock fishery in Alaska’s Bering Sea is rationalized, which means each vessel/permit holder is allocated a certain amount of catch for the season. But the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery is open access, with every vessel racing against the others for catch. The […]
NOAA Fisheries has denied a request for emergency action to close the red king crab savings area and red king crab savings subarea to all fishing gears from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023. The Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers submitted the petition on September 28, 2022 to protect Bristol Bay red king crab and their habitat […]
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is exploring technology innovations and limitations in the ongoing fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Fishing vessels can “go dark” by turning off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders that broadcast their location to satellites and terrestrial receivers. What they do during those invisible hours has long been a mystery. […]