National Marine Fisheries Service
06/16/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/16/2021 20:10
IB 21-25: NOAA Reminds Vessel Owners, Operators, and Managers of 2021 BSAI Rockfish Maximum Subarea Species Catch Amounts
NMFS reminds the fleet to minimize its catch of blackspotted/rougheye rockfish species group in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.
At the December 2020 meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Council's Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) addressed concerns about fishing pressure relative to blackspotted/rougheye rockfish biomass estimates in the Western Aleutian Islands. The SSC recommended estimation of a maximum subarea species catch (MSSC) amount to provide a maximum catch target and monitor catch of blackspotted/rougheye rockfish in the Western Aleutian Islands. For 2021, the MSSC amount to guide the level of catch is 31 metric tons for the Western Aleutian Islands district. Information on the calculation of this MSSC amount may be found in the most recent blackspotted /rougheye rockfish stock assessment at
In 2021, if the catch for this rockfish species group continues to be a concern the SSC and Council may recommend further management action. NMFS provides a catch report with the 2021 BSAI blackspotted/rougheye catch by subarea and corresponding blackspotted/rougheye rockfish MSSC amounts for the public's information at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/car112_rougheye_rockfish_catch2021.html.
The goal of this information bulletin is to improve public understanding on issues associated with fishing effort to mitigate the need for further management actions.