MBA_SeafoodWatch_Groundfish_Alaska_Report

Groundfish complex
Image ©Monterey Bay Aquarium
Alaska
Bottom trawl, Midwater trawl, Pot, Bottom longline, Handline
October 7, 2014
John Driscoll, Consulting researcher
Disclaimer
Seafood Watch® strives to have all Seafood Reports reviewed for accuracy and completeness by external
scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science and aquaculture. Scientific review, however, does
not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch® program or its recommendations on the part of
the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch® is solely responsible for the conclusions reached in this report.

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About Seafood Watch®
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program evaluates the ecological sustainability of
wild-caught and farmed seafood commonly found in the North American marketplace.
Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether wild-caught or
farmed, which can maintain or increase production in the long-term without jeopardizing the
structure or function of affected ecosystems. The program’s mission is to engage and
empower consumers and businesses to purchase environmentally responsible seafood fished
or farmed in ways that minimize their impact on the environment or are in a credible
improvement project with the same goal.
Each sustainability recommendation is supported by a seafood report. Each report synthesizes
and analyzes the most current ecological, fisheries and ecosystem science on a species, then
evaluates this information against the program’s sustainability criteria to arrive at a
recommendation of “Best Choice,” “Good Alternative,” or “Avoid.” In producing the seafood
reports, Seafood Watch utilizes research published in academic, peer-reviewed journals
whenever possible. Other sources of information include government technical publications,
fishery management plans and supporting documents, and other scientific reviews of ecological
sustainability. Seafood Watch research analysts also communicate with ecologists, fisheries
and aquaculture scientists, and members of industry and conservation organizations when
evaluating fisheries and aquaculture practices. Capture fisheries and aquaculture practices are
highly dynamic; as the scientific information on each species changes, Seafood Watch’s
sustainability recommendations and the underlying seafood reports will be updated to reflect
these changes. Both the detailed evaluation methodology and the scientific reports, are
available on seafoodwatch.org.
For more information about Seafood Watch and seafood reports, please contact the Seafood
Watch program at Monterey Bay Aquarium by calling 1-877-229-9990 or visit online at
seafoodwatch.org.
Disclaimer
Seafood Watch® strives to ensure all its seafood reports and the recommendations contained therein are accurate
and reflect the most up-to-date evidence available at time of publication. All our reports are peer reviewed for
accuracy and completeness by external scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science or aquaculture.
Scientific review, however, does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch program or its
recommendations on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch is solely responsible for the conclusions
reached in this report. The program welcomes additional or updated data that can be used for the next revision.
Seafood Watch and seafood reports are made possible through a grant from the David and Lucile Packard
Foundation.

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Guiding Principles
Seafood Watch® defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether fished1
or
farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long-term without jeopardizing the
structure or function of affected ecosystems.
The following guiding principles illustrate the qualities that capture fisheries must possess to be
considered sustainable by the Seafood Watch program:
• Stocks are healthy and abundant.
• Fishing mortality does not threaten populations or impede the ecological role of any
marine life.
• The fishery minimizes bycatch.
• The fishery is managed to sustain long-term productivity of all impacted species.
• The fishery is conducted such that impacts on the seafloor are minimized and the
ecological and functional roles of seafloor habitats are maintained.
• Fishing activities should not seriously reduce ecosystem services provided by any fished
species or result in harmful changes such as trophic cascades, phase shifts, or reduction
of genetic diversity.
Based on these guiding principles, Seafood Watch has developed a set of four sustainability
criteria to evaluate capture fisheries for the purpose of developing a seafood recommendation
for consumers and businesses. These criteria are:
1. Impacts on the species under assessment
2. Impacts on other species
3. Effectiveness of management
4. Habitat and ecosystem impacts
Each criterion includes:
• Factors to evaluate and score
• Evaluation guidelines to synthesize these factors and to produce a numerical score
• A resulting numerical score and rating for that criterion
Once a score and rating has been assigned to each criterion, an overall seafood
recommendation is developed on additional evaluation guidelines. Criteria ratings and the
overall recommendation are color-coded to correspond to the categories on the Seafood
Watch pocket guide:
1 “Fish” is used throughout this document to refer to finfish, shellfish and other invertebrates.

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Best Choice/Green: Are well managed and caught or farmed in ways that cause little harm to
habitats or other wildlife.
Good Alternative/Yellow: Buy, but be aware there are concerns with how they’re caught or
farmed.
Avoid/Red: Take a pass on these for now. These items are overfished or caught or farmed in
ways that harm other marine life or the environment.

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Summary
This analysis encompasses the major commercial groundfish species that are caught in
commercial groundfish fisheries off of the coast of Alaska. This report includes all commercial
groundfish fisheries that are prosecuted in the federally managed waters off of the coast of
Alaska, with the exception of those that target pollock. This report includes a number of
rockfish, flatfish and roundfish species.
Of the 43 species/area/fishery combinations that were assessed for inherent resilience, stock
status, and fishing mortality under Criterion 1, 40 received ’green’ ratings, 3 received ’yellow,’
and 0 received ’red.’ The predominance of green ratings indicates not only that many of the
stocks are healthy, but also implies that there is a good deal of up-to-date, publicly-available
information for these stocks. Criterion 1 scores are informed not only by stock status and
fishing mortality, but also by the amount of information available for a given species.
Due to the multi-species nature of the Alaska groundfish fisheries, the distinction between
‘targeted’ and ‘bycatch’ species is not often a clear one. In general, there are actually very few
true bycatch species that are caught in substantial amounts across all groundfish fisheries. As it
does for Criterion 1, information availability informs the scores for Criterion 2 species, and
several species have conservative scores due to a lack of information.
The management of target and bycatch species scores ’excellent’ and ’moderate,’ respectively,
for all fisheries addressed in this report.
By their nature, groundfish tend to be demersal species, and the fisheries that target them use
bottom-tending gears. While the Alaskan commercial groundfish fisheries use a variety of gears,
including bottom trawl, longline, pot, and jig gears, the common denominator between the
gears is that they are expected to contact the bottom during their normal use. As such, the
potential for habitat disturbance and destruction is present for all of the gears. A wealth of
scientific information suggests that mobile bottom trawl gear should be expected to have the
most significant impacts of all of the gears used in these fisheries; bottom longline and trap
gears may also cause damage but, being fixed gears, they do not sweep over the seafloor as
does trawl gear. In recognition of the potential for bottom-tending gears to damage habitat, a
number of spatial restrictions on gear use are in place, and gear modifications have been
implemented by regulation for two trawl fisheries. These spatial restrictions and modifications
offer mitigation of bottom trawl habitat impacts.

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Of the 43 area/gear/species combinations that were assessed for this report, 34 received
overall ’green’ recommendations and the remaining 9 received overall ’yellow’
recommendations. In general, there were few concerns regarding the stock status, fishing
mortality, or management of the assessed species; however, the stock status and/or fishing
mortality of certain bycatch species reduced the overall scores for many of the assessed
species.
Table of Conservation Concerns and Overall Recommendations
Stock / Fishery Impacts on
the Stock
Impacts on
other Spp.
Management Habitat and
Ecosystem
Overall
Recommendation
Alaska Plaice - BSAI Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Green (3.87) Green (3.46) Best Choice (3.500)
Arrowtooth Flounder - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Arrowtooth Flounder - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.57)
Atka Mackerel - BSAI Bottom
Trawl
Green (4.47) Yellow
(2.71)
Green (3.87) Yellow (2.74) Best Choice (3.367)
Blackspotted Rockfish - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.71)
Green (3.87) Yellow (2.45) Good Alternative
(3.150)
Blackspotted Rockfish - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (3.83) Green
(5.00)
Butter Sole - GOA Bottom
Trawl
Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.57)
Dover Sole - GOA Bottom
Trawl
Green (4.47) Yellow
(2.57)
Dusky Rockfish - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.64)
Flathead Sole - BSAI Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Flathead Sole - GOA Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.57)
Greenland Turbot - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Yellow (2.71) Yellow
(2.24)
Green (3.87) Green (3.46) Good Alternative
(3.002)
Greenland Turbot - BSAI
Bottom longline
(2.51)
Green (3.87) Green (3.74) Good Alternative
(3.151)
Kamchatka Flounder - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (4.28) Yellow
(2.24)
Northern Rock Sole - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Northern Rock Sole - GOA
Bottom Trawl (caught in the
Pacific cod fishery)
Green (5.00) Green
(3.83)
Northern Rock Sole - GOA
Bottom Trawl (caught in the
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.57)

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Flatfish fishery)
Northern Rockfish - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.71)
Northern Rockfish - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.64)
Pacific Cod - BSAI Jig Green (5.00) Green
(5.00)
Pacific Cod - BSAI Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Trawl
Green (5.00) Green
(3.83)
Longline
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Pacific Cod - BSAI Pot Green (5.00) Green
(4.75)
Pacific Cod - GOA Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Green
(3.83)
Pacific Cod - GOA Bottom
Longline
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.71)
Pacific Cod - GOA Pot Green (5.00) Green
(4.75)
Pacific Cod - GOA Jig Green (5.00) Green
(5.00)
Pacific Ocean Perch - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.71)
Pacific Ocean Perch - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.64)
Rex sole - BSAI Bottom Trawl Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.24)
Rex Sole - GOA Bottom Trawl Green (4.28) Yellow
(2.57)
Rougheye Rockfish - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.71)
(3.150)
Rougheye Rockfish - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.64)
(3.131)
Sablefish - BSAI Bottom
Longline
Green (4.47) Yellow
(2.64)
Sablefish - BSAI Pot Green (4.47) Green
(4.50)
Sablefish - GOA Bottom
Longline
Green (4.47) Yellow
(2.64)
Shortraker Rockfish - BSAI
Bottom Trawl
(2.71)
(2.889)
Shortraker Rockfish - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (3.83) Yellow
(2.64)
(3.131)
Shortspine Thornyhead -
GOA Bottom Trawl
Green (3.32) Yellow
(2.64)
(3.021)

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Shortspine Thornyhead -
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Green (3.32) Yellow
(2.71)
(3.039)
Southern Rock Sole - GOA
Bottom Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.57)
Yellowfin Sole - BSAI Bottom
Trawl
Green (5.00) Yellow
(2.24)
Scoring Guide
Scores range from zero to five where zero indicates very poor performance and five indicates the fishing
operations have no significant impact.
Final Score = geometric mean of the four Scores (Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 4).
• Best Choice/Green = Final Score >3.2, and no Red Criteria, and no Critical scores
• Good Alternative/Yellow = Final score >2.2, and neither Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) nor Bycatch
Management Strategy (Factor 3.2) are Very High Concern,
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and no more than one Red Criterion, and no
Critical scores, and does not meet the criteria for Best Choice (above)
• Avoid/Red = Final Score <=2.2, or either Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) or Bycatch Management Strategy
(Factor 3.2) is Very High Concern,2
or two or more Red Criteria, or one or more Critical scores.
2
Because effective management is an essential component of sustainable fisheries, Seafood Watch issues an Avoid
recommendation for any fishery scored as a Very High Concern for either factor under Management (Criterion 3).

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Table of Contents
About Seafood Watch®.................................................................................................................................2
Guiding Principles .........................................................................................................................................3
Summary.......................................................................................................................................................5
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................10
Criterion 1: Stock for which you want a recommendation.....................................................................24
Criterion 2: Impacts on Other Species ....................................................................................................78
Criterion 3: Management effectiveness ...............................................................................................155
Criterion 4: Impacts on the habitat and ecosystem..............................................................................171
Appendix A: Common, Market, and Vernacular Names for Groundfish Species .....................................195
Appendix B: Main species complete assessment .....................................................................................196
Appendix C: Marine Mammal and Seabird Bycatch .................................................................................198
Appendix D: Discards and Bait Use...........................................................................................................206
Appendix E: Habitat Impact Mitigation Efforts.........................................................................................207
Appendix F: Ecosystem and Food Web Considerations............................................................................213
Appendix G: Details of Inherent Vulnerability Analysis............................................................................221
Appendix H: Review Schedule ..................................................................................................................222

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Introduction
Scope of the analysis and ensuing recommendation
This analysis encompasses the major commercial groundfish species that are caught in
commercial groundfish fisheries off of the coast of Alaska. This report includes all commercial
groundfish fisheries that are prosecuted in the federally managed waters off of the coast of
Alaska, with the exception of those that target pollock. This report includes a number of
rockfish, flatfish, and roundfish species.
The Alaskan groundfish fisheries catch a variety of species, and as such the selection of species
for this assessment presented challenges. Ultimately, the basic guideline that was used is as
follows: a species was included if the catch of the species in a given fishery composed >5% of
that fishery’s catch, or >1% of that fishery’s catch and >5% of species’ total mortality across all
fisheries, or <1% of fishery’s catch and >20% of species’ total mortality across all fisheries.
Species of concern (such seabirds and marine mammals) were also included where appropriate.
The intent was to include the ‘main’ species, (including the species of concern), which are
associated with these fisheries. Therefore, the analyst’s discretion was used in some situations.
Groundfish catch is managed with stock, species group, or complex-specific total allowable
catch (TAC). A TAC is derived from, and is less than or equal to, the acceptable biological catch
(ABC). The maximum ABC, in turn, is less than the estimated overfishing limit (OFL) for the
stock, species group, or complex. The OFL defines the maximum annual catch beyond which
overfishing is said to be occurring.
A tier system is used to determine the annual catch limits for commercial groundfish species in
Alaska. Each stock is assigned to one of six possible tiers, generally with the most information-
rich stocks in Tier 1 and the most information-poor stocks in Tier 6. Tiers 3 and 5 are the most
commonly used tiers for the stocks addressed in this report. Stocks managed under Tier 3 have
OFLs and ABCs derived from stock-specific estimates of biomass (B), the fishing mortality rate
estimated to result in 40% of the equilibrium level of spawning per recruit that would occur in
the absence of fishing (F40%), F35%, and the long-term average biomass expected under F40% and
average recruitment (B40%). Tier 5 stocks are those for which reliable estimates of B and natural
mortality (M) exist, but F40% and F35% do not. Tier 5 stocks are therefore managed with OFLs and
ABCs that are derived from B and M such that FOFL = M, and maxFABC= 0.75*M.
This assessment treats the stock status and fishing mortality scores for Tier 5 stocks somewhat
more conservatively than the scores for Tier 3 stocks, because Tier 3 stocks have more reliable
information) available to inform the scores. Generally, the stock status of Tier 5 stocks is

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considered to be of ’low’ concern if biomass estimates indicate stable or increasing biomass,
and fishing mortality is considered to be of ’low’ concern if recent catches were less than Tier 5
OFLs; these scores may be adjusted due to other factors (e.g., mortality may be scored ’very
low’ concern if catch <10% of the Tier 5 OFL).
Overview of the species and management bodies
The groundfish fisheries that take place in the federally managed waters off of the coast of
Alaska are diverse in terms of the type and fishing capacity of the vessels, the gears used by
these vessels, the species targeted and caught, the habitats accessed, and the management
systems that are in place for each fishery. It is possible to use more than one set of
characteristics to differentiate the fisheries; fisheries can be defined by the licensing/permitting
program under which they operate (e.g., the Amendment 80 fleet), or by a combination of the
area, the target species/species complexes, and the gear used (e.g., Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands
flatfish trawl fishery). This assessment uses the latter method to define fisheries. Throughout
this report, the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands is referred to as ‘BSAI,’ and the Gulf of Alaska is
referred to as ‘GoA.’ Descriptions of the fisheries addressed in this assessment are as follows.
BSAI Trawl Fisheries
The BSAI groundfish trawl fleet is essentially divided into three segments: 1) vessels that belong
to the American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher vessel fleet, AFA catcher-processor fleet, or AFA
mothership fleet targeting pollock; 2) vessels in the ‘Amendment 80’ fleet targeting Atka
mackerel, rockfish, and flatfish, and 3) the "non-AFA Bering Sea trawlers' fleet (vessels that
target Pacific cod) (NPFMC 2012a). The Amendment 80 fleet is allocated portions of several
stocks, including some GoA stocks (Table 1).
Table 1. Amendment 80 TAC allocations (NPFMC 2012a).
Stock Area
% of TAC
Allocated to
Amendment 80
Fleet
Atka mackerel BSAI 90%–100%
Flathead sole BSAI 100%
Pacific cod BSAI 13.4%
Pacific cod Western GoA 2.4%
Pacific cod Central GoA 4.2%
Pacific Ocean
perch
Aleutian
Islands
90%–98%
Rock sole BSAI 100%
Yellowfin sole BSAI ≤93%

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As of 2010, there were 24 vessels in the Amendment 80 fleet, a total of 114 vessels in the three
AFA fleets, and 13 vessels in the non-AFA BSAI trawl fleet (NPFMC 2012a). Vessels essentially
belong to either the AFA, Amendment 80, or non-AFA BSAI trawlers fleets; in 2010 only one
vessel took part in more than one of these fleets (NPFMC 2012a).
For the purposes of this assessment, the BSAI trawl sector is further broken down into the
following fisheries:
BSAI Atka mackerel trawl
The BSAI Atka mackerel trawl fishery refers to the sub-section of the Amendment 80 trawl fleet
that targets Atka mackerel with bottom trawl gear designed to access rough substrates (NPFMC
2012a). The footrope of the trawl gear used in this fishery is equipped with discs, bobbins,
and/or tires that are of larger diameter than those used in the flatfish trawl fisheries (NOAA
2005a). This fishery’s total catch of commercial species in 2011 was approximately 57,600 t;
Atka mackerel composed approximately 84% of this catch (Figure 1; Fissel, B. et al. 2012). This
fishery has also been responsible for approximately 84% of annual catch of BSAI northern
rockfish since 2004 (Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012a). A series of management measures have
been developed and implemented in order to manage this fishery’s potential impact on
western Steller sea lions (see Factor 4.3).
Figure 1. Species composition of the commercial catch in the BSAI Atka mackerel trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al.
2012; information for proportion of northern rockfish catch taken in this fishery: Spencer and Ianelli 2012a).
BSAI flatfish trawl
There are several GoA trawl fisheries that target different flatfish species and species
complexes using bottom trawl gear. All of these fisheries are grouped together as ‘BSAI flatfish

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trawl’ for this report. The BSAI flatfish trawl fishery refers to that subsection of the Amendment
80 fleet that uses bottom trawl gear to target yellowfin sole, flathead sole, rock sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Greenland turbot in the BSAI. The total catch of
commercial species in the 2011 BSAI flatfish fishery was approximately 303,600 t (combination
of the total catches in the trawl fisheries for yellowfin sole, arrowtooth, Kamchatka flounder,
flathead sole, rock sole, turbot, and ‘other flatfish’ fishery categories; Table 4 in Fissel, B. et al.
2012). This catch was dominated by yellowfin sole and rock sole (Figure 2). The primary species
caught in BSAI flatfish trawl tows varies by location (Figure 3).
Figure 2. Species composition of the commercial catch in the BSAI flatfish trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).

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Figure 3. Location of flatfish catch in BSAI flatfish trawl fishery, 2011 (Figure from Fissel et al. 2012).
BSAI Pacific cod trawl
The BSAI Pacific cod trawl fishery includes both catcher and catcher-processor vessels equipped
with bottom trawl gear (NOAA 2005a). As of 2010, there were 12 catcher vessels and 1 catcher-
processor vessel in the fishery; some of these vessels were also active in the GoA, but there was
no overlap with the AFA or Amendment 80 fleets (NPFMC 2012a). Pacific cod are the primary
species caught in this fishery (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Species composition of the commercial catch in the BSAI Pacific cod trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).

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BSAI rockfish trawl
The BSAI rockfish trawl fishery is a bottom trawl fishery in which Amendment 80 catcher-
processors target Pacific Ocean perch, rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and other
rockfish species using bottom trawl gear designed for rough substrate (NOAA 2005a). The
footrope of the trawl gear used in this fishery is equipped with tires, discs, and/or bobbins that
are of a larger diameter than those used in the flatfish trawl fisheries (NOAA 2005a); elevating
devices are not required to be used in this fishery.
Figure 5. Species composition of the commercial catch in the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).
BSAI Fixed Gear Fisheries
BSAI Pacific cod, sablefish, and Greenland turbot bottom longline fisheries
In the BSAI, a fleet of approximately 40 ‘freezer longliner’ catcher-processor vessels uses
bottom longline gear to target Pacific cod, and may also target sablefish and/or Greenland
turbot (NPFMC 2012a). Pacific cod are by far the primary commercial species caught by BSAI
longline gear (Fissel, B. et al. 2012). Those fixed gear vessels that retain sablefish must be part
of the sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) fishery (described below, NPFMC 2012b). For the
purposes of this report, the BSAI Pacific cod, sablefish, and Greenland turbot longline fisheries
are treated as separate fisheries.
The BSAI Pacific cod longline fleet is composed largely of freezer-longliner catcher-processor
vessels; 48.7% of the total BSAI Pacific cod TAC is allocated to the freezer-longliner fleet
(NPFMC 2012a). The gear is a bottom longline with baited hooks (NPFMC 2012a) with squid as
the preferred bait (NOAA 2005a). The average length of the gear deployed in a typical BSAI
Pacific cod catcher-processor set is approximately 8 miles, with approximately 12,300 hooks
deployed in such a set (NPFMC 2012a). Sets for Pacific cod tend to be set in shallower water
(30-80 fm) relative to sets that target sablefish (150-600 fm) and Greenland turbot (250-500 fm)
(NPFMC 2012a). In 2011, more than 90% of the commercial catch in the BSAI Pacific cod
longline fishery was Pacific cod (Figure 6).

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In addition to the freezer-longliner component of the fishery, smaller catcher vessels also use
bottom longline gear to target BSAI Pacific cod (NPFMC 2012a). In the BSAI, longline/pot
catcher vessels that are <60’ length overall (LOA) are allocated 2% of the total BSAI Pacific cod
TAC, with an additional 0.2% allocated to vessels >60’ LOA (NPFMC 2012a).
Figure 6. Species composition of the commercial catch in the BSAI Pacific cod longline fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).
BSAI Pacific cod jig
BSAI Pacific cod are also caught by jig, but catches by jig are minimal relative to catches by
trawl, longline, and pot (Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). This sector is allocated 1.4% of
the BSAI Pacific cod TAC (NPFMC 2012a). Approximately 76% of the jig fleet’s 2010 catch was
Pacific cod (NPFMC 2012a).
BSAI Pacific cod pot
A total of 8.4% of the BSAI Pacific cod TAC is allocated to BSAI pot vessels of >60’ LOA, while
vessels <60’ LOA share a 2% allocation of the BSAI Pacific cod TAC with BSAI longline vessels of
<60’ LOA (NPFMC 2012a). In the BSAI pot fishery, catcher and catcher-processor vessels target
Pacific cod using modified crab pots that are baited with herring and deployed on single lines
(NOAA 2005a). Pots have degradable cotton escape hatches to prevent ‘ghost fishing’ in the
event of gear loss (NOAA 2005a).
GoA
GoA Trawl Fisheries
The Western and Central GoA trawl sectors target a variety of stocks, including Pacific cod,
pollock, northern rockfish, Pacific Ocean perch, and flatfish (NPFMC 2012a). Several vessels

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from the Amendment 80 fleet are also active in the Western and Central GoA (NPFMC 2012a).
For the purposes of this report, the GoA trawl fisheries are split into the following categories:
GoA flatfish trawl
There are several GoA trawl fisheries that target different flatfish species and species
complexes using bottom trawl gear. All of these fisheries are grouped together as ‘GoA flatfish
trawl’ for this report due to similarities in gear, habitat effects, management, and catch
composition.
The GoA shallow water flatfish trawl fishery occurs in the Central GoA, and vessels in this
fishery use bottom trawl gear to target flatfish over shallow sand, silt, and gravel substrates at
depths of 15-40 fm (NPFMC 2012a). Vessels in this fishery include shore-based catcher vessels
and several catcher-processors (NOAA 2005a). The combined catch of southern and northern
rock sole composed 77.5% of shallow water flatfish catch in 2011 (Turnock, B.J., et al. 2012).
The GoA deepwater trawl fishery is composed primarily of shore-based catcher vessels, with
several catcher-processors in the fishery as well (NOAA 2005a). This fishery operates in areas of
sand, silt, cobble, gravel, and mud substrates at depths of 70-300 fm (NPFMC 2012a). Dover
sole dominate the catch of the deepwater flatfish fishery (NPFMC 2012a).
GoA Pacific cod trawl
In this GoA fishery, trawl vessels use bottom trawl gear to target Pacific cod (NPFMC 2012a).
The fishery has nearshore and offshore components, with the former composed of smaller
catcher vessels and the latter, catcher-processors (NOAA 2005a). In 2012, trawl catcher vessels
were apportioned 41.6% of the Central GoA Pacific cod TAC and 38.4% of the Western GoA
TAC, while catcher-processor vessels were allocated 4.2% and 2.4% of the Central and Western
GoA Pacific cod TACs, respectively (NPFMC 2012a). Pacific cod are the primary species (Figure
7).

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Figure 7. Species composition of the commercial catch in the GoA Pacific cod trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).
GoA rockfish trawl
Vessels in this fishery use both pelagic and bottom trawl gear (NOAA 2005a). The bottom trawl
gear used in this fishery is designed to operate on rougher substrates than that used in the GoA
flatfish fisheries; footropes on the rockfish bottom trawl nets, for example, are protected with
discs or bobbins that are 18 to 24 inches in diameter, 24-inch airplane tires, or a combination
thereof (NOAA 2005a).
Pacific Ocean perch and northern rockfish are targeted in this fishery. The pelagic component of
this fishery targets primarily Pacific Ocean perch (NOAA 2005a); the proportion of GoA Pacific
Ocean perch caught with pelagic trawl gear increased from 2% in 1990 to 31% in 2008 (NPFMC
2011a). The Central GoA Rockfish program is allocated 95% of the dusky rockfish TAC (NPFMC
2011a); dusky rockfish are also targeted with pelagic trawl gear and co-occur with northern
rockfish (NPFMC 2011a).

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Figure 8. Species composition of the commercial catch in the GoA rockfish trawl fishery, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).
GoA Fixed Gear
GoA Pacific cod jig
A small Pacific cod jig fishery exists in the GoA. The total catch of GoA Pacific cod by ‘other’
fishing gears (i.e., gears other than trawl, longline, and pot) was approximately 1.15% of the
total catch of GoA Pacific cod in 2011 (Table 2.1 in A'mar, T., et al. 2012b). In 2012, this sector
was allocated 1.5% of the Pacific cod TAC in the Western GoA and 1% in the Central GoA
(NPFMC 2012a). Approximately 76% of the jig fleet’s 2010 catch was Pacific cod (NPFMC
2012a).
GoA Pacific cod longline
The GoA Pacific cod longline fishery is prosecuted by both catcher and catcher-processor
vessels that use anchored bottom longlines with baited hooks (NOAA 2005a). The GoA Pacific
cod longline fishery includes vessels from the freezer-longline fleet; catcher-processors are
allocated 19.8% of the Western GoA Pacific cod TAC and 5.1% of the Central GoA TAC (NPFMC
2012a). Catcher vessels receive 1.4% of the Western GoA Pacific cod TAC and a total of 21.3% of
the Central GoA TAC (NPFMC 2012a). Approximately 98% of the commercial catch in the GoA
Pacific cod longline fishery in 2011 was Pacific cod (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
GoA Pacific cod pot
The GoA Pacific cod pot fleet is allocated 38% of the Western GoA Pacific cod TAC and 27.8% of
the Central GoA TAC (NPFMC 2012a). The GoA Pacific cod pot fishery includes both
catcher vessels, which work nearshore waters, and catcher-processors offshore

20
(NOAA 2005a). Both vessel types use modified crab pots that are baited with
herring and fished on single lines (NOAA 2005a). Pots have a decomposable
cotton escape panel to reduce the potential for ‘ghost fishing’ if the gear is lost
(NOAA 2005a).
Sablefish IFQ
Sablefish IFQ Longline
The sablefish longline fishery has been managed under an IFQ program since 1995 (NPFMC
2012a). This fishery is allocated 80% of the sablefish TAC in the Western and Central GoA, and
95% of the TAC in the Eastern GoA (NPFMC 2012c). Approximately 390 vessels took part in this
fishery in 2010; 17 of these vessels were part of the freezer-longliner fleet described previously
(NPFMC 2012a). Vessels in this fishery use anchored longlines with hooks baited with squid,
pollock, or herring (NPFMC 2012a).
Figure 9. Species composition of the commercial catch in longline sets targeting sablefish, 2011 (Data: Fissel et al. 2012).
Production Statistics
In 2011, the catch of groundfish in the non-pollock groundfish fisheries of BSAI and GoA totaled
approximately 763,400 t (Tables 3 and 4 in Fissel, B. et al. 2012); catch in the BSAI accounted for
approximately 81% of this amount (Figure 10).

21
Figure 10. Catch in BSAI and GoA, 2011 (Data from Fissel et al. 2011)
BSAI Pacific cod and yellowfin sole are the primary species in terms of biomass caught;
combined, these two stocks accounted for nearly 49% of groundfish caught in the non-pollock
groundfish fisheries in 2011 (Figure 11).
Figure 11. Groundfish catch in Alaska fisheries, 2011 (Data from Fissel et al. 2012)

22
Importance to the US/North American market
See "Primary product forms."
Common and market names
For common and market names of groundfish caught in the Alaska groundfish fisheries, see
Appendix A.
Primary product forms
Groundfish caught in Alaska's fisheries are processed into a variety of products, and are
destined for markets around the world. Primary products include head and gut, fillet, and
whole fish (Figure 12). In 2011, head and gut was the primary product in terms of both weight
and value (Figure 12).
Figure 12. Production and gross values of Alaskan groundfish products, 2011 (Data from Fissel et al. 2012).
Species, products and markets of note include:
Arrowtooth flounder: Historically, efforts to develop markets for arrowtooth flounder have
met with limited success, as the flesh naturally breaks down at cooking temperatures. Recent
advances have improved the market for arrowtooth, however. H&G arrowtooth flounder is
exported to China for further processing; primary products include the frill, which is used in the

23
sushi market, and fillets, and which may be re-exported to the U.S. (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
Atka mackerel: Atka mackerel are processed as whole fish and H&G (NPFMC 2011a).
Pacific cod: Pacific cod products include H&G and fillet blocks. Fillets are destined for domestic
markets in the United States, where they are used across the domestic food service industry,
from upscale restaurants to large food service providers to fast-food restaurants (Fissel, B. et al.
2012). Pacific cod H&G products are exported to Europe, China (where they may be processed
and re-exported to the United States), and Japan (Fissel, B. et al., 2012).
Pacific Ocean perch: Pacific Ocean perch is processed as H&G and whole fish (NPFMC 2011a).
Rock sole: Female rock sole with roe is destined for export to Japan, while male rock sole is
exported to China, processed, and often re-exported to the U.S. (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
Sablefish: Sablefish is primarily headed and gutted. Sablefish is chiefly destined for export to
Japan, but some sablefish is sold via white-tablecloth restaurants; sablefish is also smoked and
sold in New York City delis as "smoked sable" (Fissel, B. et al., 2012).
Yellowfin sole: Yellowfin sole is processed at sea as H&G and whole fish, and is often exported
to China, where it may be processed further and re-exported to the U.S. (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).

24
Assessment
This section assesses the sustainability of the fishery(ies) relative to the Seafood Watch Criteria
for Fisheries, available at http://www.seafoodwatch.org.
Criterion 1: Stock for which you want a recommendation
This criterion evaluates the impact of fishing mortality on the species, given its current
abundance. The inherent vulnerability to fishing rating influences how abundance is scored,
when abundance is unknown. The final Criterion 1 score is determined by taking the geometric
mean of the abundance and fishing mortality scores. The Criterion 1 rating is determined as
follows:
• Score >3.2 = Green or Low Concern
• Score >2.2 and <=3.2 = Yellow or Moderate Concern
• Score <=2.2 = Red or High Concern
Rating is Critical if Factor 1.3 (Fishing Mortality) is Critical.
Criterion 1 Summary
ALASKA PLAICE
Region / Method Inherent
Vulnerability
Stock Status Fishing
Mortality
Subscore
Alaska Bering Sea Aleutian Islands:
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 5.00:Very Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
2.00:Medium 5.00:Very Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Alaska Gulf of Alaska: Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
ATKA MACKEREL
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Atka Mackerel Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
3.00:Low 4.00:Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (4.472)

25
BLACKSPOTTED ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Rockfish trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Alaska Gulf of Alaska: Rockfish
Trawl
Large-Mesh Bottom Trawl
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
BUTTER SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Trawl, Bottom
3.00:Low 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
DOVER SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Trawl, Bottom
2.00:Medium 4.00:Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (4.472)
DUSKY ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
FLATHEAD SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)

26
GREENLAND TURBOT
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 2.00:High
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Yellow (2.709)
Greenland turbot longline
Longline, Bottom
1.00:High 2.00:High
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Yellow (2.709)
KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (4.284)
NORTHERN ROCK SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Alaska Gulf of Alaska: Pacific Cod
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
NORTHERN ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Atka Mackerel Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
PACIFIC COD
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Alaska Bering Sea Aleutian Islands: 2.00:Medium 5.00:Very Low 5.00:Very Low Green (5.000)

27
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern Concern
Pacific Cod Jig
Jig
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Pacific Cod Longline
Longline, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Pacific Cod Pot
Pot
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Pacific Cod Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Alaska Gulf of Alaska: Pacific Cod Jig
Jig
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Longline
Longline, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Pot
Pot
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Rockfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
REX SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (4.284)

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ROUGHEYE ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Rockfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
ROUGHEYE ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
SABLEFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Sablefish Longline
Longline, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (4.472)
Sablefish Pot
Trap
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (4.472)
Alaska Gulf of Alaska: Sablefish
Longline
Longline, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (4.472)
SHORTRAKER ROCKFISH
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Rockfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 2.00:High
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Yellow (2.709)
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 4.00:Low
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.831)
SHORTSPINE THORNYHEAD
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Rockfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 3.00:Moderate
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.318)

29
Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
1.00:High 3.00:Moderate
Concern
3.67:Low
Concern
Green (3.318)
SOUTHERN ROCK SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
YELLOWFIN SOLE
Vulnerability
Mortality
Subscore
Flatfish Trawl
Trawl, Bottom
Concern
5.00:Very Low
Concern
Green (5.000)
Of the 43 species/area/fishery combinations that were assessed for inherent resilience, stock status, and
fishing mortality under Criterion 1, 40 received ’green’ ratings, 3 received ’yellow,’ and 0 received ’red.’
The predominance of green ratings not only indicates that many of the stocks are healthy, but also
implies that there is a good deal of up-to-date, publicly-available information for these stocks. Criterion
1 scores are informed not only by stock status and fishing mortality, but also by the amount of
information available for a given species.
Criterion 1 Assessment
Factor 1.1 - Inherent Vulnerability
Scoring Guidelines
• Low—The FishBase vulnerability score for species is 0-35, OR species exhibits life history
characteristics that make it resilient to fishing, (e.g., early maturing (
• Medium—The FishBase vulnerability score for species is 36-55, OR species exhibits life
history characteristics that make it neither particularly vulnerable nor resilient to fishing,
(e.g., moderate age at sexual maturity (5-15 years), moderate maximum age (10-25
years), moderate maximum size, and middle of food chain).
• High—The FishBase vulnerability score for species is 56-100, OR species exhibits life
history characteristics that make is particularly vulnerable to fishing, (e.g., long-lived
(>25 years), late maturing (>15 years), low reproduction rate, large body size, and top-
predator).

30
Note: The FishBase vulnerability scores is an index of the inherent vulnerability of marine fishes
to fishing based on life history parameters: maximum length, age at first maturity, longevity,
growth rate, natural mortality rate, fecundity, spatial behaviors (e.g., schooling, aggregating for
breeding, or consistently returning to the same sites for feeding or reproduction) and
geographic range.
Factor 1.2 - Stock Status
Scoring Guidelines
• 5 (Very Low Concern)—Strong evidence exists that the population is above target
abundance level (e.g., biomass at maximum sustainable yield, BMSY) or near virgin
biomass.
• 4 (Low Concern)—Population may be below target abundance level, but it is considered
not overfished
• 3 (Moderate Concern) —Abundance level is unknown and the species has a low or
medium inherent vulnerability to fishing.
• 2 (High Concern)—Population is overfished, depleted, or a species of concern, OR
abundance is unknown and the species has a high inherent vulnerability to fishing.
• 1 (Very High Concern)—Population is listed as threatened or endangered.
Factor 1.3 - Fishing Mortality
Scoring Guidelines
• 5 (Very Low Concern)—Highly likely that fishing mortality is below a sustainable level
(e.g., below fishing mortality at maximum sustainable yield, FMSY), OR fishery does not
target species and its contribution to the mortality of species is negligible (≤ 5% of a
sustainable level of fishing mortality).
• 3.67 (Low Concern)—Probable (>50%) chance that fishing mortality is at or below a
sustainable level, but some uncertainty exists, OR fishery does not target species and
does not adversely affect species, but its contribution to mortality is not negligible, OR
fishing mortality is unknown, but the population is healthy and the species has a low
susceptibility to the fishery (low chance of being caught).
• 2.33 (Moderate Concern)—Fishing mortality is fluctuating around sustainable levels, OR
fishing mortality is unknown and species has a moderate-high susceptibility to the
fishery and, if species is depleted, reasonable management is in place.

31
• 1 (High Concern)—Overfishing is occurring, but management is in place to curtail
overfishing, OR fishing mortality is unknown, species is depleted, and no management is
in place.
• 0 (Critical)—Overfishing is known to be occurring and no reasonable management is in
place to curtail overfishing.
ALASKA PLAICE
BSAI Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for Alaska plaice is 67.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The BSAI Alaska plaice stock was classified as not overfished in 2012, and for 2013, estimated BSAI
Alaska plaice spawning biomass (SB):SB40% is 1.71.
Rationale
Estimated total age 3+ BSAI Alaska plaice biomass increased from 376,087 t in 1975 to a peak of 729,366
t in 1984 and then decreased to 537,335 t in 2003; subsequently it had increased to 598,432 t in 2011,
and is projected to reach 588,499 t in 2012 (Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2012).
Changes to stock biomass over the years are attributed to recruitment variability as fishing pressure has
been light (Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2012). There is also new evidence that
substantial Alaska plaice biomass exists in the northern Bering Sea, which is outside the area currently
surveyed (Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2011). Modeled estimates show that female
spawning biomass (SB) has been above SB40% since the late 1970s (Figure 10.10 in (Wilderbuer, T.K.,
Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2012)). For 2012, the BSAI Alaska plaice stock was classified as ‘not
overfished,’ with a B:BMSY ratio of 2.04 (NMFS 2012). For 2013, SB is 260,500 t, while SB40% is 152,000 t
(Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2012).

32
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Fishing mortality rates have been low for BSAI Alaska plaice for many years. The 2011 catch was 29.9%
and 36.3% of the OFL and ABC (Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2011), respectively, and
NMFS classified the stock as not experiencing overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012).
Rationale
Fishing mortality rates for BSAI Alaska plaice have been fairly light for the past several decades,
averaging 0.03 from 1975 to 2010; for reference, the FOFL for 2012 to 2013 is 0.19 (Wilderbuer, T.K.,
Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2011). For 2011, estimated harvest of BSAI Alaska plaice was 23,656 t
(Table 10.1 in Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Spencer, P.D. 2012), while the ABC and OFL were 65,100
and 79,100 t, respectively (Federal Register 2011). Of that catch, 18,340 t (77.5%) was caught in trawl
tows targeting yellowfin sole (Table 4-23 in Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Ianelli, J. 2012), and 3,162 t
(13.4%) were taken in tows targeting rock sole (Table 8.23 in Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012). The
BSAI Alaska plaice stock was classified by NMFS as not experiencing overfishing for 2012 (NMFS 2012).
ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER
BSAI Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Medium
The FishBase vulnerability score for arrowtooth flounder is 64, and the species' productivity score in
Table 1 is 1.95 (Cope, J.M., et al., 2011).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
In Alaskan waters, arrowtooth biomass is much greater in the GoA than in the BSAI (Turnock, B.J. &
Wilderbuer, T.K. 2011). BSAI arrowtooth flounder biomass has been increasing since at least 1975
(Figure 13; Spies, I., Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Aydin, K. 2012), and in 2012, BSAI arrowtooth

33
flounder were classified as ‘not overfished’ by NMFS (NMFS 2012). For 2013, BSAI arrowtooth flounder
SB:SB40% was 2.59 (Spies, I., Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G., & Aydin, K. 2012).
Rationale:
Figure 13. Estimates of BSAI arrowtooth flounder biomass, 1976-present (figure from Spies et al. 2012).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Save for brief and minor decreases in the mid-1990s and from 2009 to 2011, GoA arrowtooth flounder
biomass has been steadily increasing since 1960 (Turnock, B.J. & Wilderbuer, T.K. 2011). In 2012, the
GoA arrowtooth flounder was classified as ‘not overfished’ by NMFS (NMFS 2012). For 2013, GoA
arrowtooth flounder SB:SB40% was estimated at 2.64 (Turnock, B.J. 2012a). The stock status of GoA
arrowtooth flounder is thus scored ’very low’ concern.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
In 2011, the catch of BSAI arrowtooth flounder (excluding estimated Kamchatka flounder catch) was
7.2% and 51.5%, respectively, of the OFL and TAC ((Federal Register 2011; Spies, I., Wilderbuer, T.K.,

34
Nichol, D.G., & Aydin, K. 2012). The BSAI arrowtooth flounder stock was not considered to be
experiencing overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012).
Rationale
Approximately 80% of the 2011 BSAI arrowtooth catch was taken in the BSAI flatfish trawl fishery, and
substantial amounts were also caught in the Pacific cod longline fishery (6.4%) (Appendix A).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
GoA arrowtooth flounder have been lightly exploited for decades. Since 2000, annual GoA arrowtooth
flounder catch has been, on average, only 13% of the ABC (Turnock, B.J. & Wilderbuer, T.K. 2011). In
2011, total catch of GoA arrowtooth flounder (30,890 t; Turnock, B.J. 2012a) was 12.3% of the OFL and
71.8% of the TAC (Turnock, B.J. 2012a). For 2012, the GoA arrowtooth flounder stock is considered to
not be experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012). For these reasons, GoA arrowtooth flounder fishing
mortality is scored ’very low’ concern for the GoA flatfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
Approximately 89% of the total catch was taken in the GoA flatfish trawl fishery (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
ATKA MACKEREL
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low
The FishBase vulnerability score for Atka mackerel is 32.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
Estimated 2013 BSAI Atka mackerel biomass is at the lowest point since the late 1970s. However, BSAI
Atka mackerel were classified as ‘not overfished’ for 2012, and for 2013, spawning biomass is 92.5% of
SB40% and 105.7% of SB35%. For these reasons, BSAI Atka mackerel are scored ’low’ concern for stock

35
status.
Rationale
Modeled estimates of BSAI Atka mackerel biomass suggest that the stock has gone through several
major fluctuations since the late 1970s, with three periods in which spawning biomass peaked at
220,000-260,000 t, and three troughs (not counting the current period) in which spawning biomass
reached lows of 117,000-133,000 t (Figure 14; Table 17.13 in Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). The estimated
spawning biomass for of BSAI Atka mackerel in 2013 (103,034 t) is less than the estimated SB40%
(111,385 t; Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012), and is lower than any of the other biomass estimates since at least
1977 (Table 17.13 in Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012).
Figure 14. Estimated BSAI Atka mackerel spawning biomass with approximate 90% confidence intervals (Figure from Lowe,
Ianelli, and Palsson 2012).
The 2012 trawl survey yielded an Aleutian Islands biomass estimate that was 70% less than the 2010
estimate (Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). Particular declines were noted in the Eastern Aleutian Islands and
Southern Bering Sea areas, which declined by 91% and 99% relative to their 2010 values, respectively
(Table 17.6 in Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). The authors of the 2012 stock assessment point out that; the
variances in the Eastern Aleutian Islands area have tended to be greater than those for other areas in
previous surveys; that survey catches of Atka mackerel in the Eastern area have tended to be

36
characterized by patchy, large tows in the past; and that these large tows did not materialize in the 2012
survey (Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). The authors also point out that bottom temperatures were 0.25°C lower
than average for the depth stratum at which 99% of Atka mackerel are caught, and that a previous year
with similarly cold bottom temperatures also yielded a low biomass estimate (Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012).
BSAI Atka mackerel were classified as ‘not overfished’ for 2012 (NMFS 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The 2011 catch of BSAI Atka mackerel was 51.3% and 60.7% of the OFL and ABC, respectively (Lowe, S.J.,
et al. 2012). The stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing in 2012, and for 2013, the FOFL and
maxFABC have been adjusted to account for the sub-SB40% status of the stock’s spawning biomass. For
these reasons, fishing mortality of BSAI Atka mackerel is scored ’very low’ concern for the Atka mackerel
trawl fishery and rockfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
Catch of BSAI Atka mackerel in 2011 was 51,818 t, while the OFL and ABC were 101,000 t and 85,300 t,
respectively (Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). In 2011, the Atka mackerel trawl fishery was responsible for
approximately 94% of total BSAI Atka mackerel fishing mortality (Lowe, S.J., et al. 2012). Smaller
amounts are also caught in the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery (Fissel, B. et al. 2012). The stock was classified
as not experiencing overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012). For 2013, allowable fishing mortality rates have
been reduced in light of the stock’s sub-target status: FOFL and maxFABC were reduced 7.8% and 8.6%,
respectively, due to the harvest control rule that reduces allowable fishing mortality when B<B40% (Lowe,
S.J., et al. 2012). Estimates of F and B for the Aleutian Islands (where the majority of the BSAI stock is
found) suggest that mortality rates have been appropriate for the stock status in previous years (Figure
15).

37
Figure 15. 2012 estimates of Aleutian Islands Atka mackerel spawning biomass and fishing mortality rates relative to
reference points (Figure from Lowe, Ianelli, and Palsson 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for rougheye rockfish is 69. Rougheye rockfish inherent vulnerability is
therefore scored ‘high.’ In the absence of a FishBase score for blackspotted rockfish, inherent
vulnerability for blackspotted rockfish is scored ’high’ as well.
BSAI Bottom Trawl

38
Low Concern
The BSAI blackspotted/rougheye (BS/RE) rockfish complex as a whole was classified as not overfished for
2012. For the Aleutian Islands portion of the BSAI population, the projected SB2013:SB40% is 1.32. There
are no reference points for the Eastern Bering Sea portion of the population. The Factor 1.2 score is
moderated by the lack of reference points for the Eastern Bering Sea portion of the complex and the
lack of species-specific biomass estimates and reference points for the two species in this complex and,
therefore, the Factor 1.2 score for BSAI BS/RE rockfish is scored ’low concern.’
Rationale
For 2012, NMFS classified BS/RE rockfish stock status as ’not overfished,’ with a B:BMSY ratio of 1.328
(NMFS 2012). BS/RE rockfish are managed under Tier 3a for the Aleutian Islands region and under Tier 5
for the Eastern Bering Sea region. For 2013, the estimated spawning biomass of Aleutian Islands BS/RE
rockfish is 6,838 t, while the estimated SB40% is 5,196 t (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a). The 2013
biomass estimate for BS/RE rockfish in the Eastern Bering Sea region is 1,774 t (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper,
C.N. 2012a); as a Tier 5 stock, there are no biomass reference points for the Eastern Bering Sea portion
of the stock. The estimated 2012 BSAI BS/RE rockfish spawning biomass is the highest since at least 1977
(Table 14 in Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
In 2011, the catch of BS/RE rockfish in the BSAI was 31.0% and 37.4% of the BSAI-wide OFL and ABC,
respectively (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a). The BSAI BS/RE rockfish complex was classified as not
experiencing overfishing in 2012. While the fact that the BSAI-wide catch was less than the BSAI-wide
OFL suggests that fishing mortality should be considered ’very low’ concern, the Factor 1.3 score is ’low’
concern for the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery because the total catch of that portion of the stock that is
found in the Eastern Bering Sea slightly exceeded the area-specific ABC and was 87% of the area-
specific, Tier 5-derived OFL, and also because the lack of species-specific information moderates this
score.
Rationale
In 2011, the catch of BSAI BS/RE rockfish was 170 t, while the OFL and ABC were 549 t and 454 t,
respectively (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a). The OFL and ABC were a combination of the Tier 3b
Aleutian Islands values and Tier 5 Eastern Bering Sea values (Table 3). Approximately 92% of the BSAI-
wide OFL and ABC was derived from the Aleutian Island Tier 3b estimates, and 8% was derived from Tier
5 estimates for the Eastern Bering Sea region. Roughly 77% of the 2011 catch was from the Aleutian
Islands (Table 3). The catch of BS/RE rockfish in the Eastern Bering Sea slightly exceeded the area-

39
specific ABC (Table 3). As a whole, the BSAI BS/RE rockfish complex was classified as not undergoing
overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012). It is estimated that more than 50% of the 2011 catch of BSAI BS/RE
rockfish came from the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery (Table 5 in Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a).
GOA Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for rougheye rockfish is 69. Rougheye rockfish inherent vulnerability is
therefore scored ‘high.’ In the absence of a FishBase score for blackspotted rockfish, inherent
vulnerability for blackspotted rockfish is scored ’high’ as well.
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
After declining from the late 1970s through the end of the 1980s, GoA BS/RE rockfish spawning biomass
has generally increased each year since 1991 (Table 13-18 in (Shotwell, S.K., et al., 2011)). The GoA
BS/RE rockfish complex was classified as "not overfished" in 2012 (NMFS 2012), and estimated
SB2013:SB40% is 1.31 (Shotwell, S.K., et al., 2012). In light of the lack of species-specific biomass estimates
and reference points for this complex’s two constituent species, the Factor 1.2 score for the GoA BS/RE
rockfish complex is scored “low concern”.
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
In 2011, the catch of GoA BS/RE rockfish (543 t) was 34.4% and 41.4% of the Tier 3b OFL and ABC,
respectively (Shotwell, S.K., et al. 2012). The stock complex was classified as not experiencing
overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012). The Factor 1.3 score for GoA BS/RE rockfish is moderated by the lack
of species-specific information, and is therefore scored ’low’ concern for the GoA rockfish trawl and
sablefish longline fisheries.

40
Rationale
Approximately 52.5% of 2011 BSAI BS/RE rockfish catch was taken in the rockfish trawl fishery, and
another 22.3% and 12.5% are estimated to have been taken in the sablefish longline and flatfish trawl
fisheries, respectively (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
BUTTER SOLE
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low
The FishBase vulnerability score for butter sole is 35, and the species' productivity score in Table 1 is
2.45 (Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
GoA butter sole are part of the shallow water flatfish complex and are managed under Tier 5, without
biomass reference points. Trawl survey biomass estimates for GoA butter sole have been variable in
recent years; the most recent estimate (19,695 t in 2011) is similar to the average of the biomass
estimates from 1984 to 2011 (21,371 t; Table 4.6a in Turnock, B.J., et al. 2011). Therefore, there is no
indication that the stock’s biomass is trending downwards. The GoA butter sole stock receives a score of
’low concern’ for stock status, due to the lack of biomass reference points and the low inherent
vulnerability of the species (see Factor 1.1).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
The total catch of GoA butter sole in 2011 was 769 t (Turnock, B.J., et al., 2012). This was 30.3% of the
non-binding stock-specific Tier 5 OFL estimate (2,539 t) and 39.4% of the ABC (1,950 t; Turnock, B.J., et
al. 2010). Fishing mortality of GoA butter sole in the GoA flatfish trawl and GoA Pacific cod trawl
fisheries is scored ’low’ concern because recent catch has been substantially less than stock-specific (yet

41
non-binding) OFL and ABC.
Rationale
When the total 2011 catch of GoA butter sole is distributed among fisheries in a manner proportional to
the distribution of shallow water flatfish catch (Fissel, B. et al. 2012), the result is that 69.2% of the 2011
butter sole catch is attributed to the GoA flatfish trawl fishery, 23.1% is attributed to the Pacific cod
trawl fishery, and 7.7% to the GoA pollock bottom trawl fishery (Appendix A).
DOVER SOLE
GOA Bottom Trawl
Medium
The FishBase vulnerability score for Dover sole is 42, and the species' productivity score in Table 1 is 1.80
(Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
In the BSAI, Dover sole are part of the ‘other flatfish’ complex, where they are a minor component of the
catch (<1% of total ‘other flatfish’ catch in 2011; Table 11.2 in Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012b). In
the GoA, however, Dover sole composed over 99% of the total 2011 catch of the ‘deepwater flatfish’
complex (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012a). Therefore, this assessment addresses only GoA Dover sole.
While there is uncertainty regarding the stock assessment for Dover sole, recent information suggests
that the stock is above SB40%. However, there are currently no reference points against which to assess
the status of the stock. The stock status of GoA Dover sole is therefore scored ’low’ conservation
concern.
Rationale
A recent Tier 3 model suggested that only older Dover sole are well-selected by the GoA groundfish
survey; as a result, Dover sole biomass may be substantially greater than previous stock assessments
have shown (Stockhausen, W.T., et al., 2011a). The implications of this finding reduced the stock
assessment team’s confidence in the Tier 3 model, and as such the stock has been managed under Tier 5
for 2012 and 2013 (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012a). While biomass reference points are not presented in the
most recent assessment, the 2010 stock assessment (which used the data that may not adequately

42
represent younger Dover sole) reported a SB2011:SB40% ratio of 2.3 (Stockhausen, W.T. 2010). Given that
the uncertainty regarding the Tier 3 stock assessment revolves around the possibility that the stock’s
biomass is much greater than previously estimated, it does not seem likely that the stock is overfished.
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
GoA Dover sole are a Tier 5 stock. The 2011 catch of GoA Dover sole was 6.1% of the stock-specific OFL
estimate. Therefore, GoA Dover sole fishing mortality is scored ’very low’ concern for the GoA flatfish
fishery.
Rationale
The 2011 catch of GoA Dover sole was 461 t, which was approximately 99% of the total catch of the
entire deepwater flatfish complex (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012a). The stock-specific estimated OFL for GoA
Dover sole was 7,579 t (Stockhausen, W.T., et al. 2011a). In 2011, approximately 67% of the deepwater
flatfish complex catch was taken in flatfish trawl tows (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
DUSKY ROCKFISH
GOA Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for dusky rockfish (Sebastes variabilis) is 68, and the species'
productivity score in Table 1 is 1.28(Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The GoA dusky rockfish stock was classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and SB2013:SB40% is 1.27. The
stock status of GoA dusky rockfish is therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
Rationale:

43
Estimates of GoA dusky rockfish spawning biomass suggest a generally increasing trend, from
approximately 10,221 t in 1982 to 31,478 t in 2008, and a slight decline in subsequent years (Table 12-15
in Lunsford, C.R., et al. 2011). The GoA dusky rockfish stock was classified as ’not overfished’ in 2012
(NMFS 2012), and for 2013, the estimated spawning biomass of GoA dusky rockfish is 25,337 t, while
SB40% is 19,873 t (Lunsford, C.R., et al. 2012).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
There is a targeted trawl fishery for GoA dusky rockfish (NPFMC 2011a). The total catch of GoA dusky
rockfish in 2011 was 2,523 t, while the Tier 3a OFL and ABC were 5,649 t and 4,663 t, respectively
(Lunsford, C.R., et al. 2012). The GoA rockfish trawl fishery caught 2,308 t of the pelagic shelf rockfish’
(PSR) complex in 2011 (Table 10.3 in Hulson, P-J., et al. 2011), and as this complex was essentially
composed of only dusky rockfish in that year, this fishery’s PSR catch is assumed to represent
approximately 91.5% of the 2011 GoA dusky rockfish catch. In 2012, GoA dusky rockfish were not
considered to be experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012). Fishing mortality of GoA dusky rockfish is
therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the GoA rockfish trawl fishery.
FLATHEAD SOLE
BSAI Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Medium
The FishBase inherent vulnerability score for flathead sole is 36, and the species' productivity score in
Table 1 is 2.30 (Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
BSAI flathead sole were classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and SB2013:SB40% is 1.91.

44
Rationale
Estimated BSAI flathead sole total biomass increased from approximately 122,000 t in 1977 to over
980,000 t in 1994, and subsequently decreased to approximately 776,000 t in 2010 (Table 9.15 in
Stockhausen, W.T. & Nichol, D. 2011). For 2012, BSAI flathead sole was classified as ’not overfished’ by
NMFS (NMFS 2012). For 2013, estimated spawning biomass is 245,175 t, while SB40% is 128,286 t
(Stockhausen, W.T., Nichol, D., & Palsson, W. 2012).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
GoA flathead sole were classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and SB2013:SB40% is 2.56. For these reasons,
GoA flathead sole are scored ’very low’ concern for Factor 1.2.
Rationale
GoA flathead sole age 3+ biomass steadily increased from 210,000 t in 1984 to 305,000 t in 2009, with a
slight decrease to 303,000 t in 2010 (Stockhausen, W.T., et al. 2011b). In 2012, the GoA flathead sole
stock was classified as ’not overfished’ by NMFS (NMFS 2012). For 2013, estimated GoA flathead sole SB
is 106,377 t and SB40% is 41,547 t (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012b).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The catch of BSAI flathead sole in 2011 was 16.2% of the OFL and 19.6% of the ABC. In 2012, the stock
was not classified as experiencing overfishing.
Rationale
Fishing mortality rates for BSAI flathead sole declined substantially from the late 1970s through the late
1980s, and have remained less than 0.10 in the years since; for reference, F35% was estimated to be
0.340 for 2012 (Figure 16; Stockhausen, W.T. & Nichol, D. 2011). Total catch of BSAI flathead sole was
13,556 t in 2011, which was substantially less than the ABC (69,300 t) and the OFL (83,300 t) (Table 9.3
in Stockhausen, W.T., Nichol, D., & Palsson, W. 2012). For 2012, the stock was not classified as
experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012). In 2011, BSAI flathead sole catch was distributed between the
following fisheries: flatfish trawl (58.5% of flathead sole catch), pollock pelagic trawl (21.5%), and
pollock bottom trawl (14.8%) (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).

45
Figure 16. Estimated BSAI flathead sole fishing mortality rate (Figure from Stockhausen, W.T. and Nichol, D. 2011)
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
In 2011, the catch of GoA flathead sole was 4.4% of the OFL. For 2012, the stock was not classified as
experiencing overfishing. GoA flathead sole fishing mortality is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for
the GoA flatfish trawl and Pacific cod trawl fisheries.
Rationale
Total catch of GoA flathead sole was 2,728 t in 2011 (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012b), while the OFL was
61,412 t (Stockhausen, W.T., et al. 2011b). Approximately 85.7% of this catch was taken in the GoA
flatfish trawl fishery, with 7.1% taken in both the Pacific cod trawl and pollock bottom trawl fisheries
(Fissel, B. et al. 2012). For 2012, NMFS classified the stock as not undergoing overfishing (NMFS 2012).
GREENLAND TURBOT
BSAI Bottom Trawl
BSAI Bottom Longline
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for Greenland turbot is 73.

46
BSAI Bottom Trawl
High Concern
Due to a long-term trend of declining biomass, and the fact that SB2013 is 19.7% of SB100%, BSAI Greenland
turbot stock status is scored ’high’ concern.
Rationale
The 2012 estimate of BSAI Greenland turbot spawning biomass was sharply reduced from the 2011
estimate (Barbeaux, S.J. et al. 2012). This reduction resulted from changes to the assessment model and
data, and the correction of an error that had underestimated SB100% (and therefore SB40% and SB35%) for
the 2009, 2010, and 2011 assessments (Barbeaux, S.J. et al. 2012). As a result of these changes, the 2012
assessment generated an estimate of 2011 spawning biomass (27,263 t) that was 53% of the estimate
generated by the 2011 assessment (51,278 t) (Table 5.19 in Barbeaux, S.J. et al. 2012). The combination
of the changes to the model and to the inputs had the effect of raising the estimate of SB100%, SB40%, and
SB35%, while reducing estimated SB2013 (Table 5.19 in Barbeaux, S.J. et al. 2012). As a result, estimated
SB2013 (23,485 t) is 49.2% of estimated SB40% (47,686 t), and is 56.3% of the BMSY proxy (SB35%) (Barbeaux,
S.J. et al. 2012). This is just above the official designation for ‘overfished’ (50% of SB35%). The stock
therefore was not classified as overfished by NMFS during 2012 (NMFS 2012).
More recently, the 2013 stock assessment estimated that SB2014 is 22% of SB100%, 55% of SB40%, and 63%
of SB35% (Barbeaux, S.J., et al. 2013). However, the authors of the 2013 assessment noted that a second
model, which was the better-fitting model but which had not been "thoroughly vetted" at the time of
the release of the assessment, generated an estimate of SB2014 that would qualify the stock for
’overfished’ status (Barbeaux, S.J., et al. 2013). The authors also note that exceptionally large year
classes of 2008 and 2009 will begin to increase the spawning biomass starting in 2015 (Barbeaux, S.J., et
al. 2013).
An additional consideration for this stock is a long-term trend of declining biomass (Figure 17), as the
stock's spawning biomass is estimated to have declined every year from 1973 through 2013, with a
slight increase noted for 2014 (Table 5.20 in Barbeaux, S.J., et al. 2013).

47
Figure 17. BSAI Greenland turbot estimated spawning biomass, 1972-2013 (Data from Table 5.19 in Barbeaux et al. 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
The BSAI Greenland turbot OFL and ABC were reduced substantially in the 2012 assessment, due to the
changes to the stock assessment model and input data that are presented in the 2012 assessment.
While catches were less than ABCs during the years immediately preceding the 2012 assessment, the
reduced OFL and ABC presented in the 2012 assessment indicate that previous catch levels may not
have been appropriate for the stock. However, it is expected that fishing mortality will be appropriate
for the stock going into the future (for reference, the estimated catch for 2013 is approximately 26% of
the 2012 catch; Table 5.1 in Barbeaux, S.J., et al. 2013). Fishing mortality of BSAI Greenland turbot is
scored ’low’ concern for the BSAI Greenland turbot longline and flatfish trawl fisheries.
Rationale
BSAI Greenland turbot are caught primarily in the Greenland turbot longline and flatfish trawl fisheries
(Table 5.3 in Barbeaux, S.J., et al. 2013).
KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER
BSAI Bottom Trawl

48
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for Kamchatka flounder is 64.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The total biomass of BSAI Kamchatka flounder is estimated to have increased from 2001 through 2008-
2010, but may have diminished somewhat during 2011 and 2012 (Figure 17; Table 7-3 in Wilderbuer,
T.K., et al. 2012b). Estimated spawning biomass shows a slightly different trend, with maximums of
approximately 48,000 t in the late 1990s and mid-2000s, and subsequent declines after both (Figure 7A-
15 (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b). Kamchatka flounder are managed under Tier 3, and projected
spawning biomass for 2014 is greater than SB40% (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2013). BSAI Kamchatka flounder
stock status is therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
Rationale
Figure 18. Estimated total BSAI Kamchatka flounder biomass (Figure from Wilderbuer, Nichol, and Lauth 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern

49
Fishing mortality was minimal for many years, but increased substantially in recent years. In 2012, the
total catch of BSAI Kamchatka flounder was approximately 32% and 51% of the Tier 5 OFL and ABC,
respectively (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b). The stock is now managed under Tier 3; catches are
expected to be reduced as a result of substantially reduced OFL and ABC. Fishing mortality is scored
’low’ concern.
Rationale
BSAI Kamchatka flounder fishing mortality is estimated to have been relatively minimal for many years,
with an average annual F of 0.015 for the years 1991-2008 (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b). However, the
recent targeting of the species led to increased fishing mortality in the last several years (Figure 19)
(Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b). In 2012, the estimated total catch of BSAI Kamchatka flounder was
9,466 t (Table 7-1 in Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b), which was less than the 2012 Tier 5 OFL (24,800 t)
and ABC (18,600 t) (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2012b). It should be noted that the 2012 catch is greater than
the new Tier 3-based estimates of OFL and ABC for 2014 (Wilderbuer, T.K., et al. 2013).
In 2011, approximately 92% of BSAI Kamchatka flounder catch was taken in the BSAI flatfish trawl
fishery (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).
Figure 19. Estimated full-selection F for BSAI Kamchatka flounder, 1991-2011 (Figure from Wilderbuer, Nichol, and Lauth
2012)
NORTHERN ROCK SOLE
BSAI Bottom Trawl

50
GOA Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Medium
The FishBase vulnerability score for Lepidopsetta polyxystra is 48.
GOA Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
For northern and southern rock sole in the GoA, SB2013:SB40% is 2.12 and 1.84, respectively (A'mar, T., et
al. 2012a). Stock status for GoA northern and southern rock sole is therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
For BSAI northern rock sole, SB2013: SBMSY is 2.42, and SB2013 is approximately 90% of SB0 (Wilderbuer, T.K.
& Nichol, D.G. 2012a). The stock has increased substantially since the late 1970s (Figure 20), and was
classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012 (NMFS 2012). BSAI northern rock sole is therefore scored ’very
low’ concern for Factor 1.2.
Rationale:

51
Figure 20. Estimated BSAI northern rock sole spawning biomass (figure from NPFMC 2011a).
GOA Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Rock sole are part of the GoA Shallow Water Flatfish Complex, and as such they do not have an official
classification regarding overfishing. However, in 2011, the catches of GoA northern and southern rock
sole were 5.4% and 6.8% of their respective stock-specific (and non-binding) OFLs (A'mar, T., et al.
2012a). Fishing mortality of GoA northern and southern rock sole is therefore scored ’very low’ concern
for the flatfish trawl and Pacific cod trawl fisheries.
Rationale
GoA rock sole are managed as part of the Shallow Water Flatfish (SWFF) complex; rock sole has
composed an average of 75% of the annual SWFF catch since 1993 (Table 4.1.1 in A'mar, T., et al.
2012a). In 2011, total catches of GoA northern and southern rock sole were 1,029 and 2,066 t,
respectively (Turnock, B.J., et al. 2012), while the OFL and ABC values were 18,953 and 16,085 t for
northern rock sole and 30,460 and 26,064 t for southern rock sole (Turnock, B.J. et al., 2010). The SWFF
complex was not considered to be experiencing overfishing during 2012, but there was no official
classification of the GoA northern and southern rock sole stocks per se (NMFS 2012). Approximately
69.2% of the 2011 SWFF catch was taken in the flatfish trawl fishery, while another 23.1% was taken in
the Pacific cod trawl fishery and 7.7% in the pollock bottom trawl fishery (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).

52
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
In 2011, catch of BSAI northern rock sole was 24.4% and 27.0% of the OFL and ABC, respectively
(Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012a). The stock was not classified as undergoing overfishing in 2012.
BSAI northern rock sole fishing mortality is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the flatfish trawl
fishery.
Rationale
BSAI northern rock sole exploitation rates have not exceeded 0.05 since 1989 (Table 8.13 in Wilderbuer,
T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012a). Catch of BSAI northern rock sole in 2011 was 60,401 t (Table 8.1 in
Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012a), while OFL and ABC were 248,000 and 224,000 t, respectively
(Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2011). Approximately 83% of the 2011 BSAI rock sole catch was taken in
the flatfish trawl fishery, while 14% was caught in the two pollock trawl fisheries (pelagic and bottom)
(Fissel, B. et al. 2012). For 2012, the stock was not classified as experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012),
and the estimated F2012 was well below the overfishing level associated with the current estimated
spawning biomass (Figure 21).
Figure 21. BSAI northern rock sole fishing mortality rate, female spawning biomass, and the harvest control rule (Figure
from (Wilderbuer and Nichol 2012a).
NORTHERN ROCKFISH

53
BSAI Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
Medium
The FishBase vulnerability score for northern rockfish is 46.
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The GoA northern rockfish stock was classified as ’not overfished’ in 2012 (NMFS 2012), and for 2013,
the estimated GoA northern rockfish spawning biomass is 40,452 t, while SB40% is 29,193 t (Hulson, P.J.,
et al. 2012). GoA northern rockfish stock status is therefore considered to be ’very low’ concern.
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
BSAI northern rockfish were classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and SB2013:SB40% is 1.43. The stock
status of BSAI northern rockfish is therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
Rationale
Estimates of BSAI northern rockfish spawning biomass indicate a steady increase from the late 1970s,
and suggest that current biomass levels are near a recent maximum (Figure 22; Table 11 in Spencer, P.D.
& Ianelli, J.N. 2012a). In 2012, BSAI northern rockfish were classified as ’not overfished,’ with a B:BMSY
ratio of 1.615 (NMFS 2012). For 2013, BSAI northern rockfish spawning biomass is estimated to be
84,697, while estimated SB40% is 59,167 t (Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012a).

54
Figure 22. BSAI northern rockfish spawning biomass estimates, with 95% confidence intervals (Figure from Spencer and
Ianelli 2012).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Recent catches of GoA northern rockfish have been relatively steady (Figure 23). In 2011, total catch of
GoA northern rockfish was 3,440 t, while the OFL and ABC were 5,784 t and 4,854 t, respectively
(Hulson, P.J., et al. 2012). The stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing in 2011 (NMFS 2012).
GoA northern rockfish fishing mortality is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the rockfish trawl
fishery.
Rationale
Approximately 94% of this catch was taken in the rockfish trawl fishery (Table 10.3 in Hulson, P.J., et al.
2011).

55
Figure 23. Estimated catches of GoA northern rockfish, 1960-2010 (Figure from Hulson, P.J.F. et al. 2011)
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Total catch of BSAI northern rockfish in 2011 was 2,762 t, while the Tier 3a OFL and ABC were 10,600 t
and 8,670 t, respectively (Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012a). The stock was classified as not
experiencing overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012). Fishing mortality of BSAI northern rockfish is therefore
considered to be ’very low’ concern for the BSAI Atka mackerel trawl fishery.
Rationale
BSAI northern rockfish are caught primarily in the Atka mackerel trawl fishery (NPFMC 2011a); this
fishery was responsible for approximately 84% of the catch of northern rockfish during the period 2004-
2012 (Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012a).
PACIFIC COD
BSAI Bottom Trawl
BSAI Jig
BSAI Pot

56
GOA Jig
GOA Bottom Longline
GOA Pot
Medium
The FishBase vulnerability score for Pacific cod is 50, and the species' productivity score in Table 1 is 2.11
(Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
GOA Jig
GOA Bottom Longline
GOA Pot
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
GoA Pacific cod were classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and estimated SB2013:SB40% is 1.15. GoA
Pacific cod are therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
Rationale
GoA Pacific cod spawning biomass declined over most of the past three decades, from approximately
258,000 t in 1983 to 81,890 t in 2008 (Figure 23; Table 2.14 in A'mar, T., et al. 2012b). Spawning biomass
has increased since 2008, and for 2013, the estimated spawning biomass of GoA Pacific cod is 108,491 t
(S.D. = 15,806 t; Table 2.14 in A'mar, T., et al. 2012b), while SB40% is 93,900 t (A'mar, T., et al. 2012b). In
2012, the GoA Pacific cod stock was classified as ’not overfished,’ with a B:BMSY ratio of 1.198 (NMFS
2012).

57
Figure 24. Estimated GoA Pacific cod spawning biomass (Figure from Thompson and Lauth 2012)
BSAI Bottom Trawl
BSAI Jig
BSAI Pot
Very Low Concern
The BSAI Pacific cod stock were classified as ’not overfished’ for 2012, and for 2013, BSAI Pacific cod
SB2013:SB40% is 1.18. BSAI Pacific cod are therefore scored ’very low’ concern for Factor 1.2.
RationaleThe estimated spawning biomass of BSAI Pacific cod generally declined from 1984 through
1993, remained relatively steady through 2003, declined until 2009, and increased in the subsequent
years (Table 2.26 in Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). The estimated 2013 BSAI Pacific cod spawning
is 422,000 t, which is the highest value since 1992 (Table 2.26 in Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012),
taking the 93% conversion rate into account). The estimated 2013 spawning biomass also exceeds SB40%
(358,000 t; Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). The BSAI Pacific cod stock was classified as ’not
overfished’ for 2012 (NMFS 2012).

58
GOA Jig
GOA Bottom Longline
GOA Pot
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
For 2011, catch of GoA Pacific cod in federal and state fisheries was 82.7% of the OFL (A'mar, T., et al.
2012b), and the stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing in 2012 (NMFS 2012). Fishing
mortality of GoA Pacific cod is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the GoA Pacific cod pot, longline,
trawl, and jig fisheries.
Rationale
The total catch of GoA Pacific cod by federal and state fisheries has not exceeded the OFL since at least
1992 (Table 2.2 in ('mar, T., et al. 2012b). In 2011, the total catch of GoA Pacific cod was 84,839 t, with
62,821 t caught in federal fisheries and 22,018 t caught in state fisheries (Table 2.1 in A'mar, T., et al.
2012b), while the OFL and ABC were 102,600 t and 86,800 t, respectively (Table 2.2 in A'mar, T., et al.
2012b). The 2011 catch of GoA Pacific cod was caught primarily in the Pacific cod pot (47.3%), Pacific cod
longline (25.9%), and Pacific cod trawl (18.6%) fisheries (Table 3 in Fissel, B. et al. 2012). For 2012, the
stock was classified as not undergoing overfishing (NMFS 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
BSAI Jig
BSAI Pot
Very Low Concern
Catch of BSAI Pacific cod was 80.9% of the Tier 3a OFL in 2011 (Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012), and
the stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing for 2012 (NMFS 2012). BSAI Pacific cod fishing
mortality is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the BSAI Pacific cod longline, trawl, pot, and jig
fisheries, and the BSAI flatfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
Fishing mortality rates for BSAI Pacific cod have been relatively steady in recent years, varying between
0.202 and 0.264 since 1998 (Table 2.19d in Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). For reference, the

59
estimated FOFL for 2013 is 0.34 (Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). Catch of BSAI Pacific cod has not
exceeded OFL since 1992 (Table 2.3 in Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). In 2011, total catch of BSAI
Pacific cod was 220,134 t, while the OFL and ABC were 272,000 t and 235,000 t, respectively (Table 2.3
in Thompson, G.G. & Lauth, R.R. 2012). The 2011 BSAI Pacific cod catch was taken primarily in the Pacific
cod longline fishery (53.8% of catch), Pacific cod trawl fishery (16.6%), Pacific cod pot fishery (12.7%),
and flatfish trawl tows for yellowfin sole (7.4%) (Table 4 in Fissel, B. et al. 2012). For 2012, the BSAI
Pacific cod stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012).
PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH
BSAI Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for Pacific Ocean perch is 60, and the species' productivity score in
Table 1 is 1.44 (Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The GoA Pacific Ocean perch stock was classified as ’not overfished’ in 2012, and SB2013:SB40% is 1.14.
GoA Pacific Ocean perch stock status is therefore scored ’very low’ concern.
Rationale
As in the BSAI, a foreign fleet caught enormous amounts of GoA Pacific Ocean perch during the 1960s,
and Pacific Ocean perch biomass declined substantially from the mid-1960s through the end of the
1970s (Figure 25; Hanselman, D.H.et al., 2012). In the years since, biomass has steadily recovered (Figure
25). For 2012, the stock was classified as ’not overfished,’ with a B:BMSY ratio of 1.302 (NMFS 2012).
More recently, the 2013 GoA Pacific Ocean perch estimated spawning biomass is 107,511 t, while SB40%
is 93,876 t (Hanselman, D.H.et al. 2012).

60
Figure 25. Estimated spawning biomass of BSAI Pacific Ocean perch (Figure from Spencer and Ianelli 2012b).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
In 2012, the BSAI Pacific Ocean perch stock was classified as ’not overfished,’ and SB2013:SB40% is 1.49.
The stock status of BSAI Pacific Ocean perch is therefore scored ’very low‘concern.
Rationale
Heavily fished by foreign fleets through the early 1960s, BSAI Pacific Ocean perch spawning biomass
declined substantially from the 1960s through 1978 (Figure 26; Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012b).
Spawning biomass has recovered during the subsequent years (Figure 26; Table 12 in Spencer, P.D. &
Ianelli, J.N. 2012b). For 2012, the BSAI Pacific Ocean perch stock was classified as ’not overfished,’ with a
B:BMSY ratio of 1.63 (NMFS 2012). For 2013, the estimated spawning biomass of BSAI Pacific Ocean perch
is 273,683 t, while SB40% is 183,774 t (Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012b).

61
Figure 26. Estimated spawning biomass of GoA Pacific Ocean perch, with 95% credible intervals (Figure from (Hanselman, D.
et al. 2011)
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
The 2011 catch of GoA Pacific Ocean perch was 72.6% and 83.6% of the OFL and ABC, respectively, and
the stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing in 2012. GoA Pacific Ocean perch fishing
mortality is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the GoA rockfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
During the 1960s, the GoA Pacific Ocean perch fishery was characterized by very large catches and high
fishing mortality rates; catches declined during the late 1960s and 1970s and have remained low in the
years since (Figure 9-1 in Hanselman, D.H., et al. 2011). In 2011, the total catch of GoA Pacific Ocean
perch was 14,211 t, while the OFL and ABC were 19,566 t and 16,997 t, respectively (Hanselman, D.H.et
al. 2012). Approximately 90% of the 2011 catch was taken in the GoA rockfish trawl fishery (Table 10.3 in
Hulson, P.J., et al. 2011). For 2012, the stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing (NMFS 2012).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
Total catch of BSAI Pacific Ocean perch in 2011 was 66.1% and 97.2% of the OFL and ABC, respectively.

62
For 2012, the stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing. Fishing mortality of BSAI Pacific Ocean
perch is therefore scored ’very low’ concern for the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
For 2011, total catch of BSAI Pacific Ocean perch was 24,001 t (Table 1 in Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N.
2012b), while the OFL and ABC were 36,300 t and 24,700 t, respectively (Federal Register 2011). This
catch was the highest recorded since at least 1977 (Table 1 in Spencer, P.D. & Ianelli, J.N. 2012b), but
the 2011 fishing mortality rate was similar to recent levels (Figure 27). At least 73% of the 2011 catch
was taken in the BSAI rockfish trawl fishery (see Appendix A).
Figure 27. Estimates fishing mortality rates for BSAI Pacific Ocean perch (Figure from Spencer and Ianelli 2012b).
REX SOLE
BSAI Bottom Trawl
GOA Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for rex sole is 65, and the species' productivity score in Table 1 is 2.05
(Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).

63
GOA Bottom Trawl
Very Low Concern
For GoA rex sole, SB2012:SB35% was 2.74, and the stock was classified as not overfished for 2012. GoA rex
sole are therefore scored ’very low‘concern for Factor 1.2.
Rationale
Species managed under Tier 5 generally do not have biomass reference points, but the Scientific and
Statistical Committee of the NPFMC determined that, for GoA rex sole, estimates of SB2012 (53,164 t) and
SB35% (19,434 t) were reliable and indicated that the stock was not overfished (Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol,
D.G. 2012b). The stock was classified as not overfished by NMFS for 2012 (NMFS 2012). Furthermore,
recent estimates suggest that GoA rex sole biomass is near a 3-decade high, and that GoA rex sole
biomass increased from the late 1990s through 2009 (Table 6.15 in Stockhausen, W.T., et al. 2011c).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
BSAI rex sole are part of the BSAI “other flatfish” complex. The 2012 estimated BSAI rex sole biomass is
the second-highest since at least 1997 (Table 11.6 in Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012b). The stock
status of BSAI rex sole is scored ’low’ concern.
GOA Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
The 2011 catch of GoA rex sole was 23.0% and 30.0% of the Tier 5 OFL and ABC, respectively, and the
stock was classified as not experiencing overfishing in 2012. GoA rex sole are therefore scored ’low’
concern for fishing mortality associated with the BSAI flatfish trawl fishery.
Rationale
Catches of GoA rex sole have remained relatively constant since the early 1990s (Figure 27; Table 6.14 in
Stockhausen, W.T., et al. 2011c). In 2011, the catch of GoA rex sole was 2,876 t, while the Tier 5 OFL and
ABC were 12,499 and 9,565 t, respectively (Stockhausen, W.T. 2012a). Approximately 93% of the 2011
GoA rex sole catch was taken in the GoA flatfish trawl fishery (Fissel, B. et al. 2012).

64
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
BSAI rex sole are a Tier 5 stock and are not targeted in any fishery. Fishing mortality rates for BSAI rex
sole have not exceeded 0.05 since 1997 (Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012b). The 2011 catch of BSAI
rex sole was 860 t (Table 11.2 in Wilderbuer, T.K. & Nichol, D.G. 2012b), which was approximately 16.9%
of the stock-specific Tier 5 estimate of OFL (5,114 t) and 22.0% of the ABC (3,911 t) (Wilderbuer, T.K., et
al. 2010). There is no information available to indicate the apportionment of 2011 BAI rex sole catch
between fisheries, and therefore this assessment assigns BAI rex sole catch to the BSAI flatfish trawl
fishery only. Fishing mortality of BSAI rex sole is scored ’low’ concern.
ROUGHEYE ROCKFISH
BSAI Bottom Trawl
High
The FishBase vulnerability score for rougheye rockfish is 69, and the species' productivity score in Table
1 is 1.17 (Cope, J.M., et al. 2011).
BSAI Bottom Trawl
Low Concern
The BSAI blackspotted/rougheye (BS/RE) rockfish complex as a whole was classified as not overfished for
2012. For the Aleutian Islands portion of the BSAI population, the projected SB2013:SB40% is 1.32. There
are no reference points for the Eastern Bering Sea portion of the population. The Factor 1.2 score is
moderated by the lack of reference points for the Eastern Bering Sea portion of the complex and the
lack of species-specific biomass estimates and reference points for the two species in this complex, and
therefore the Factor 1.2 score for BSAI BS/RE rockfish is scored ’low concern.’
Rationale
For 2012, NMFS classified BS/RE rockfish stock status as ’not overfished,’ with a B:BMSY ratio of 1.328
(NMFS 2012). BS/RE rockfish are managed under Tier 3a for the Aleutian Islands region and under Tier 5
for the Eastern Bering Sea region. For 2013, the estimated spawning biomass of Aleutian Islands BS/RE
rockfish is 6,838 t, while the estimated SB40% is 5,196 t (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper, C.N. 2012a). The 2013
biomass estimate for BS/RE rockfish in the Eastern Bering Sea region is 1,774 t (Spencer, P.D. & Rooper,

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