. . . National Overview: Status and 

 Potential of U.S. Living Marine Resources 



12 



STATUS AND POTENTIAL 

 OF ALASKA LMR*S 



The Alaska fisheries have historically fo- 

 cused on salmon, halibut, and crab (Units 

 13, 19, and 20). With the displacement of 

 foreign distant-water fleets by U.S. vessels, 

 groundfish stocks of the eastern Bering 

 Sea and Gulf of Alaska have become the 

 basis for the largest domestic fish catch by 

 volume and one of the world's largest sin- 

 gle-species fisheries (walleye pollock). 

 Conservatively estimated, Alaska's com- 

 bined LTPY represents more than 41% of 

 the national total. Twenty-five fisheries 

 (74% of the regional total) are fully utilized; 

 none is considered overutilized. The 1988- 

 90 RAY has remained steady at 2.4 million 

 t, or 67% of the long-term regional yield, 



and is valued at more than $1.1 billion. 



With only one exception, the groundfish 

 stocks off Alaska are well managed and in 

 good-to-excellent condition. The CPY of 3.7 

 million t is 13% above the LTPY estimate 

 of 3.3 million t, owing in large measure to 

 the current high abundance and above-av- 

 erage recruitment that have occurred in 

 individual fisheries (principally certain 

 Alaska salmon stocks. Pacific halibut, Pa- 

 cific cod, and most Bering Sea and Gulf of 

 Alaska flatfish). Owing to the favorable 

 biological health of the resources, the cur- 

 rent yield from 21% of the stocks could be 

 increased (i.e., they are listed as underuti- 

 lized). This reflects, in part, the North Pa- 



A large Pacific halibut is hauled 

 in. 



A big bag of walleye pollock 

 taken in Alaska waters. 



fcHUBH* 



