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STATUS OF STOCKS AND MULTISPECIES ASSESSMENT PROGRAM:2003 Stock Assessment SummaryThe Status of Stocks and Multispecies Assessment Program (SSMA) completed
stock assessments for major groundfish stocks in the Bering Sea, Aleutian
Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. Information from a variety of sources were
used including survey biomass estimates provided by the RACE Division,
fishery catch estimates from the NMFS Alaska Regional Office, fishery-dependent
biological samples from the REFM Observer Program, and fishery and survey
age composition data from the REFM Age and Growth Program. Final SAFE
reports were prepared for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
(NPFMC) meetings. The NPFMC used the assessments to recommend levels of
acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the 2004 fishing season.
In 2003, 16 stocks or stock complexes in the BSAI were assessed: walleye
pollock, Pacific cod, yellowfin sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, flathead
sole, arrowtooth flounder, Alaska plaice, other flatfish (includes 16 species
of flatfish), BSAI Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker/rougheye
rockfish, other rockfish, sablefish, Atka mackerel, and other species
(see Table 1 above for species included in stock complexes). In addition, a
preliminary assessment of Aleutian Islands pollock was included as an appendix
to the walleye pollock chapter of the BSAI SAFE. With the exception of
sablefish, SSMA stock assessment authors were lead authors for all BSAI
assessments. In the GOA, 15 stocks or stock complexes were assessed:
walleye pollock, Pacific cod, sablefish, arrowtooth flounder, flathead
sole, flatfish, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish,
shortraker/rougheye and other slope rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish,
thornyhead, Atka mackerel and skates. Preliminary assessments of Dover
sole, dusky rockfish, and forage fish were included as appendices to the
SAFE. SSMA authors were the primary authors on 8 of the 15 GOA assessment
chapters. Major findings for selected assessments are summarized in the following pages,
grouped by management area and species. |
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AFSC Quarterly Feature Auke Bay Lab National Marine Mammal Lab RACE Division REFM Division Quarterly Index Quarterly Home |
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