Fisheries researchers using Saildrones surveyed more than 1,700 miles within the fur seal foraging area of the Bering Sea this summer, measuring and locating walleye pollock that are the main food source for northern fur seals. The unmanned drones are giving the Alaska Fisheries Science Center new insight into foraging habits of female northern fur […]
To be labeled “Alaska pollock” the versatile flavored white fish, employed by chefs in everything from seafood salads to fish sticks and filets, must now be harvested from Alaska waters. Otherwise, says the US Food and Drug Administration, it is simply “pollock.” The FDA updated its Seafood List on Jan. 21 to reflect that change, […]
“Start haul back,” the NOAA Corps watch officer says to the fisherman operating the winch controls. The officer monitors the helm and navigation settings to maintain a smooth ride while the fisherman, a NOAA wage mariner, begins the slow process of reeling in a trawl net from the depths. They’re aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson in […]
Shelikof Strait, in the Gulf of Alaska, is an important spawning area for walleye pollock, the target of the largest—and one of the most valuable—fisheries in the nation. This year, a team of NOAA Fisheries scientists went there to turn their usual view of the fishery upside-down. Scientists have been conducting fish surveys in the […]