87 



Figure 19-4— Landings and 

 abundance trends for groundfish 

 resources in the Gulf of Alaska 

 region for the foreign, 

 joint-venture, and U.S. fisheries, 

 1976-90. 



. . . Gulf Groundfish 



kept pace with natural and fishing losses. 

 Flatfish, Sablef ish, and Rockfish: Flat 

 fish are in general very abundant, largely 

 owing to great increases in arrowtooth 

 flounder. Flatfish are managed as deep- 

 water and shallow-water groups, while flat- 

 head sole and arrowtooth flounder are 

 managed as separate categories. Sablefish 

 are numerous and are in good condition, 

 though they are projected to decline owing 

 to low recruitment. They are fully utilized. 

 "Slope" rockfish, those found on the con- 

 tinental slope from the outer edge of the 

 continental shelf down to the abyssal plain, 

 are at low levels and are fully utilized. They 



grow slowly, are long-lived, have not re- 

 bounded from the heavy foreign fishing in 

 the 1960's, and are considered fully uti- 

 lized. The principal species in this group, 

 Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, 

 and rougheye rockfish, are highly valued. 

 They are in a separate management cate- 

 gory. Thornyhead rockfishes are also be- 

 lieved to be at a low level and decreasing. 

 The population of continental shelf 

 rockfishes (pelagic and demersal) is un- 

 known and needs further research. Manag- 

 ers try to set the fishing mortality rate equal 

 to the natural mortality rate. 



Table 19-3— Recent average, 

 current potential, and long-term 

 potential yields in metric tons (t), 

 and status of utilization for Gulf 

 of Alaska groundfish. The LTPY, 

 CPY, and FLAY for the unit equals 

 the sum of the species' LTPY's, 

 CPY's, and RAY'S. 



1988-90 average 



