a. Southeast Region

The Southeast Region Commercial Fisheries Groundfish Project is based in Sitka with the groundfish project leader, assistant project leader and port biologist located there. Seasonal port samplers were employed in Petersburg, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Craig. The project also received biometrics assistance from the regional office in Douglas.

The Southeast Region's groundfish project has responsibility for research and management of all commercial groundfish resources in the territorial waters of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska. The project also cooperates with the federal government for management of the waters of the adjacent EEZ and the project leader participates as a member of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council's Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Plan Team.

Project activities center around fisheries monitoring, resource assessment, and in-season management of the groundfish resources. In-season management decisions are based on data collected from the fisheries and resource assessment surveys. Primary tasks include fish ticket collection, editing, and data entry for both state and federal-managed fisheries; dockside sampling of sablefish, lingcod, Pacific cod, and rockfish landings; skipper interview and logbook collection and data entry; and biological studies of important commercial species. Four resource assessment surveys were conducted during 1998. Funding for the Southeast Groundfish project comes from NOAA Grants NA77FM0209, NA76FI0210 and NA67FN0441B and AKFIN AR 41713/GR 41934. Central Region

b. Central Region

The restructuring of the Central Region groundfish staff was completed in 1997 to facilitate more of a marine resources and ecosystem approach. Responsibilities for shellfish and groundfish in Prince William Sound (PWS) and Cook Inlet Areas were pooled among areas but within research and management sections. The existing shellfish staff based in Homer and Cordova assumed management duties for the groundfish fisheries. The Research Project Leader in Homer is now responsible for all Central Region groundfish and shellfish research and functions as a member of the North Pacific Management Council’s Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Management Plan Team. Groundfish of primary interest include sablefish, rockfish, pollock, Pacific cod, and lingcod. Stock assessment data is collected through port sampling, acoustic surveys, and through ADF&G trawl and longline surveys. Commercial harvest data (fish tickets) are processed in Homer for state and federal fisheries landings to Central Region ports.

In 1996, the Board of Fisheries adopted regulations that revised the definitions of the Cook Inlet and PWS management areas. The North Gulf District was moved into the Cook Inlet Management Area with an eastern boundary at the longitude of Cape Fairfield. Additional changes incorporated territorial waters between Cape Suckling and Yakutat Bay (140° 00 W. longitude) into the PWS Area.

c. Westward Region

The Westward Region Shellfish staff has taken on increasing responsibility for groundfish in recent years. Management staff is located in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, with seasonal dockside sampling in Chignik, Sand Point, and King Cove. The R/V Resolution is home ported in Kodiak and conducts an annual multi-species trawl survey in waters around Kodiak, the south side of the Alaska Peninsula, and in the eastern Aleutian Islands.

Major groundfish activities include fish ticket editing and entry for approximately 11,000 tickets from both state and federal fisheries, analysis of data collected on an annual resource assessment trawl survey encompassing the Kodiak archipelago, Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutians, management of the black rockfish, state water cod, and Aleutian Island sablefish fisheries, and conducting dockside interview and biological data collections from commercial landings in the aforementioned fisheries. In addition the Westward Region has a member on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Bering Sea/Aleutian Island Groundfish Plan Team (Ivan Vining) and the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Plan Team (David Jackson).

d. Headquarters

ADF&G personnel continued to collect, review, edit and amend, data capture, and archive all ADF&G fish ticket submitted to local offices. These tickets include those required as well as tickets voluntarily submitted by EEZ operators.

In 1998 ADF&G entered into a contract with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to expand previous data collection and management duties previously carried out under PACFIN. These duties enhance the fish ticket information collection effort and include: GIS database development and fishery data analysis, catch and production database development and access, age reading laboratory, database management and Administration, Bering sea crab data collection and reporting, and regional fishery monitoring and data management.

Local ADF&G personnel in six locations throughout the state of Alaska maintained close contact with fishers, processors and enforcement to maintain a high quality of accuracy in the submitted fish ticket records. Following processing, the electronic data was transferred to Headquarters on a regularly scheduled basis. The programmer analyst working with this project continued to maintain a master statewide groundfish fish ticket database. Data feeds to Headquarters were merged to this master database. Data was routinely reviewed for accuracy with corrections applied as required. Within the confines of confidentiality agreements, raw data was distributed to the Alaska Regional office of National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), Commercial Fishery Entry Commission (CFEC), Pacific States Fisheries Information Network (PACFIN) and the Alaska Fisheries Information Network (AKFIN) on a regularly scheduled basis. Summary groundfish catch information was also provided back to regional ADF&G offices as well as to the State of Alaska Board of Fish, NMFS, NPFMC and AKFIN.

In 1998 ADF&G provided the Alaska Regional office of National Marine Fishery Service, Restricted Access Management division with a selected data feed. This data will be utilized in a license limitation program mandated by NPFMC.

The Genetics Lab continued working on genetic stock separation of a variety of groundfish species in 1998. Work continued on black rockfish, yelloweye rockfish, and light and dark dusky rockfish.

e. Sport Fish Division

Recreational fisheries for groundfish occur primarily within state waters and nearby adjacent federal waters. The Division of Sport Fish has primary responsibility for managing these fisheries. Several biologists are specifically assigned to this effort. Rob Bentz (Douglas Office) provides groundfish oversight and takes the lead in federal-state jurisdictional management issues. In the central and western Gulf of Alaska, Scott Meyer (stationed in Homer) is the management and research biologist for groundfish. In Southeast Alaska, no biologists are specifically assigned to groundfish, rather groundfish activities are incorporated into various area management biologist’s duties.

Although recreational anglers target many groundfish species, most of the management and research effort is directed at halibut, rockfish, and lingcod, given these are the primary species targeted by recreational anglers. Halibut are the focus of a statewide research and management effort. Data on the recreational fishery and harvest are collected through port sampling effort in Southcentral Alaska and creel surveys in Southeast Alaska. These data are provided annually to the International Pacific Halibut Commission and North Pacific Fishery Management Council. This program also provides information on the characteristics of rockfish and lingcod harvest recreational fisheries in the northern Gulf of Alaska. A rockfish and lingcod stock assessment program was initiated in 1997 in Southcentral Alaska to collect fishery-independent information on movement and relative abundance, at least on an intermittent basis. Restrictive regulations have been placed on the state managed groundfish fisheries in an attempt to prevent over-fishing while data are being collected Seasons, bag and possession limits for rockfish and lingcod are the most restrictive on the west coast.

In recent years a small recreational fishery targeting primarily salmon sharks has developed in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Little information is available to assess the status or structures of targeted stocks. In an attempt to collect information, the Division of Sport Fish initiated a modest tagging program in 1998 and will continue to collect biological data on all sharks harvested in the sport fishery. The Division is also cooperating with other agencies in joint research efforts aimed at stock assessment.

a. Research

Catch rate and biological information is gathered from fish ticket records, port sampling programs, and during stock assessment surveys for other species. A mandatory logbook program was initiated for state waters of SE Alaska in 1997 to provide a relative index of CPUE. Commercial landings in SE and the Westward Region are sampled for length, weight, age, sex, and stage of maturity.

The Westward Region has continued several projects in 1998, which relate to Pacific cod. A cod-tagging program that was initiated in 1997 in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska continued. In addition to the approximately 1,000 animals tagged in 1997, 1600 were tagged in 1998. To date, 55 tags have been recovered. This project is continuing in 1999.

A seasonal trawl study was initiated with NMFS. This study will be conducted in Marmot Bay, with 32 stations being trawled bimonthly. Goals of the study will be to determine seasonal distributions of several groundfish species, seasonal food habits, and seasonal reproductive status.

Westward staff also continued a study of cod pot design aimed at reducing the bycatch of Tanner crab. Pot modifications were solicited from industry which will would best exclude Tanner crabs without decreasing the cod catch. Two at-sea trials were conducted in this study during 1998. Preliminary information from those trials is available in draft reports. The study is scheduled to continue into 1999 with one at-sea leg and final summarization of results (contact Leslie Watson).

b. Management

Regulations adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries during November 1993 established guideline harvest range (GHR) of 340 to 570 mt for Pacific cod in the internal waters of SE Alaska. The GHR was based on average historic harvest levels rather than on a biomass-based ABC estimate.

Cod along the outer coast are managed in conjunction with the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) levels set by the federal government for the adjacent EEZ. However, there are gear restrictions in state waters in lower Cook Inlet and around Kodiak Island to reduce crab bycatch.

The Alaska Board of Fisheries in 1996 adopted state water Pacific Cod Management Plans for fisheries in 5 groundfish areas, Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, Chignik and South Alaska Peninsula. The Board’s goal was to provide a slower-paced, low-bycatch fishery at a time of year more adaptable to the nearshore, small-boat fleets. Fishing would not be restricted to vessels qualified under the federal moratorium program. Included within the plans were season, gear and harvest specifications. The fishing seasons were subsequent to the federal season, which generally closes in the spring. Exclusive registration areas were established and the fishery was limited to pots or jig gear. No more than 60 pots or 5 jig machines could be used. The harvest level was based on the estimate of allowable biological catch (ABC) of Pacific cod as established by the NPFMC. The initial harvest levels were set at 15% of the Western Gulf ABC to be reserved for the South Alaska Peninsula Area, 15% of the Central Gulf ABC to be apportioned between the Kodiak, Chignik and Cook Inlet Areas and 25% of the Eastern Gulf ABC for the Prince William Sound Area. Harvest levels from the Central and Western Gulf are scheduled to step up to 20% and 25% of the area ABC’s if production levels can be achieved.

Additional regulations included a 58’ vessel size limit in the Chignik and South Alaska Peninsula Areas and allocations between gear types in Kodiak, Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. The fishery management plans also provided for removal of restrictions on exclusive area registrations, vessel size and gear limits after October 31 to increase late season production The first year of fishing under the state water Pacific Cod Management Plan was 1997. Two hundred ten vessels caught over 18 million pounds (8,200 mt) worth approximately $3.6 million. Highest catches came from Sanak Island, the area just south of Sand Point, Chignik Bay, and from the west side of Kodiak Island.

c. Fisheries

Most of the Pacific cod harvested in Southeast Alaska and the North Gulf District of the Cook Inlet Area is taken by longline gear. Pots are the dominant gear in the Cook Inlet District and in the Prince William Sound area. In the Westward Region, trawl gear takes over 60% of the harvest, with the remainder split between longline, jig, and pot gear. Prior to 1993 much of the cod taken in Southeast was utilized as bait in fisheries for other species. Cod harvested since that time is roughly evenly divided between bait use and human consumption. In other areas of the state, Pacific cod are harvested in both state and federal waters and utilized primarily as food fish. Harvests of Pacific cod totaled 294 mt in the SE state-managed fisheries during 1998. The annual GHL’s for the Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound state-managed cod harvest were set at 1088 mt and 390 mt respectively. Harvest from the state managed fishery in Kodiak totaled 3,088 mt, while Chignik had 2,092 mt of cod harvested and the South Alaska Peninsula harvest totaled 3,223 mt. The Kodiak, Chignik, and South Alaska Peninsula areas will all receive an increase in their share of the Federal TAC in 1999 for having achieved their 1998 GHL. Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet will remain at their current percentages of the Federal TAC for 1999.

a. Research

During 1998 ADF&G initiated genetic studies on dusky rockfish S. ciliatus, black rockfish S. melanops, and yelloweye rockfish S. ruberrimus. Objectives of the projects were to: 1) develop DNA markers for Sebastes species, 2) assess the genetic diversity of the species within the greater Gulf of Alaska area, and 3) utilize genetic techniques to aid in juvenile and larval identification. Both mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (microsatellite) approaches were initiated. To date five collections of black rockfish have been obtained from throughout the Gulf of Alaska as well as outliers from Washington State and Sand Point, Alaska. Target sample sizes for each collection have been set at 100. Approximately three collections of yelloweye rockfish and dusky rockfish (both light and dark morphs) have also been obtained. Sampling is continuing into 1999 to increase coverage for each species.

Laboratory efforts have been concentrated in two areas. Data collection for mtDNA for use in population screenings as well as individual identifications began in 1998 and will continue into 1999. Secondly, we developed tetra-nucleotide primers for microsatellite loci. Approximately 20 microsatellite loci (Sme 1-20) have been cloned from black rockfish, and initial screening of these loci for resolution in a variety of Sebastes species (including the three in this study) is underway. Routine screening of the collection for the microsatellite loci will begin in 1999 following the completion of the development screening.

Funding for this project has been provided by the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council Restoration Project 252 and the State of Alaska (contact Lisa Seeb).

ADF&G port sampling, skipper interview, and logbook programs for shelf rockfish fisheries continued in Southeast Alaska in 1998. The logbook and interview programs are designed to furnish detailed catch and effort information, to estimate at-sea discards, and to obtain more detailed information regarding specific harvest location. The port sampling program provides species composition from the landed catch and an opportunity to collect biological samples. Otoliths were obtained from principal demersal shelf rockfish species and black and dusky rockfishes and sent to the age-reading laboratory in Juneau for age determination. Data from these programs is entered on a microcomputer in Sitka. In 1998, 2057 yelloweye, 1301 quillback, and 459 black rockfish were sampled for age, weight, length, sex, and maturity. Additional fish were sampled for length/weight/sex/maturity. (Contact Tory O'Connell). Fin clip samples for genetic analysis were taken from 50 black rockfish in CSEO area from commercial port samples (contact Lisa Seeb).

As part of the ongoing rockfish/habitat investigations, ADF&G contracted Williamson’s and Associates to conduct sidescan sonar and bathymetric surveys of a portion of the Fairweather Ground in East Yakutat This information is being compiled into habitat maps and will be used to set new estimates of habitat for use in the DSR stock assessment in this area. Also during 1998 the F/V Ida June was contracted to set traps for juvenile rockfishes at depth (50 to 100 fm). We did not have much luck in collecting juveniles during this survey but did send 15 samples taken on the Edgecumbe pinnacles reserve area to the Genetics Lab for species identification (Contact Tory O’Connell).

Port sampling of rockfish in Central Region during 1998 occurred in Seward, Whittier, and Cordova. These efforts primarily sampled slope species. Additional sampling occurred during the Prince William Sound trawl and sablefish longline surveys. Data collected included length, sex, and gonad condition. Otoliths were collected from most sampled fish. A new catch sampling position was hired in Seward during July 1998. Since then, this position has sampled Pacific cod, rockfish, and pollock.

The Westward Region continued its port sampling of the commercial rockfish harvest in 1998. Most dockside sampling looked at black rockfish, although some light and dark dusky rockfish were also sampled. Skippers were interviewed for information on effort, location, and bycatch. Length, weight, gonadal and ovarian maturity and otolith samples were collected. Otoliths collected during the 1998 season are currently being aged by staff from the Kodiak office. Genetic sampling of deliveries of rockfish to the Westward region began in 1998. Ports included in sampling were Kodiak, Chignik, Sand Point, and Dutch Harbor.

The Division of Sport Fish collected harvest and fishery information on rockfish as part of an ongoing port sampling program in the North Gulf of Alaska. The objectives of this program are 1) to estimate the species, age, sex, and size compositions of rockfish harvests at select Gulf of Alaska ports and 2) to characterize the recreational groundfish fisheries that occur at these select ports. Ports sampled included Seward, Valdez, Whittier, Kodiak, Homer, and Deep Creek/Anchor Point. In combination, these ports represent the primary areas of recreational rockfish harvest in the northern Gulf of Alaska. The DSR and PSR assemblages make up the vast majority of the recreational rockfish harvest. Primary species harvested include black, dusky, and yelloweye rockfish. The Division of Sport Fish also conducted a study examining the feasibility of tagging black rockfish along the gulf coast near Seward. Nearly 1,400 black rockfish were captured and tagged using a variety of methods. Tag shedding and mortality as a function of depth were evaluated by holding fish in pens. The primary results of the study were that (1) black rockfish cannot be tagged and released with acceptable survival if caught in greater than 10 fathoms of water; (2) the portion of the population available for tagging is therefore small and limited in size and age, and (3) the amount of tagging effort that could be expended would not be cost-effective given the high cost of vessel charters and limited effective working area. (Contact: Scott Meyer)

b. Stock Assessment

Results of the 1997 line transect survey were analyzed and used to recommend harvest levels for demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) in the Southeast Outside Subdistrict for 1998. Density was lower in both areas in the 1997 survey compared to the 1995 survey. We also revised downward our estimate of total rock habitat in the Fairweather Ground of the EYKT area and applied separate density estimates to Fairweather and non-Fairweather EYKT areas. Combined, this results in a significant decrease in estimated biomass and consequently the 1998 TAC of 560 mt is much lower than the 1997 TAC of 945 mt.

c. Management

The DSR assemblage is the only component of the rockfish complex actively managed by the state in Southeast Alaska at this time. Rockfish management for this group is based upon a combination of guideline harvest ranges, gear restrictions, and trip limits. The state has management authority for demersal shelf rockfish in both state and federal waters of Southeast Alaska. Directed harvest of demersal shelf rockfish is restricted to hook-and-line gear. Separate harvest ranges have been established for each of six Southeast Alaska management areas based upon the best available information on the condition of rockfish stocks in each area. Regulations adopted in 1994 include reduced GHRs in internal waters, reduced weekly trip limits from 7,500 pounds per vessel to 6,000 pounds per vessel (12,000 pounds in EYKT), and added a requirement that logbook pages must be submitted weekly with fish tickets from each fishing trip. The 1998 TAC for DSR was 560 mt in Southeast Outside. A significant portion of the harvest is taken as bycatch mortality during the halibut fishery and 290 mt of the TAC was reserved for landed and unreported bycatch. Additionally 50 mt of DSR are available for harvest in the SE inside waters. In Southeast Alaska slope rockfish are managed as part of the "other rockfish" complex under an area-wide annual harvest limit of 500 mt.

The implementation of the federal IFQ fishery for halibut impacted the directed DSR fishery. Previous to 1995 DSR were managed based on three seasonal allocations: January, July, and October. Because of the bycatch provisions inherent in the IFQ fishery ADF&G does not allow directed fishing for DSR during the IFQ season, March 15 - November 15. The directed DSR fishery quota is now allocated with 2/3 of the quota apportioned to the January 1- March 15 season and 1/3 of the quota apportioned to the November 16- December 31 season. (Contact Tory O’Connell)

Rockfish have continued to be a major concern in the Central Region fisheries, particularly in the North Gulf District where pelagic rockfish are targeted by jig and longline. The Cook Inlet rockfish management plan was amended in 1996 by the Board of Fisheries, which adopted a 68 mt harvest cap for the fishery. Another plan component is a 5-day rockfish harvest limit of 1.8 mt. The 1998 directed fishery closed when catches from the Cook Inlet Area state waters totaled 20 mt, leaving 48 mt to be taken as bycatch during the remainder of the year. Total rockfish harvests from the Cook Inlet Area totaled 34 mt comprised of 20 mt black rockfish and 14 mt mixed slope and demersal species. Rockfish harvest from PWS in 1998 totaled 50 mt, primarily taken as bycatch in non-rockfish fisheries. Management restrictions include a 5-day rockfish harvest limit of 1.4 mt. (Contact Charlie Trowbridge).

Black rockfish were of low market interest and generally not harvested in the Westward region until 1990 (Jackson et al, 1998). As mentioned previously, the state has managed black and blue rockfish since 1997. In 1998, 74 mt of black rockfish were harvested from the 7 sections comprising the Kodiak Area. 80% of this harvest came from directed fisheries. Black rockfish for the Chignik and South Alaska Peninsula areas totaled 33 and 34 mt, respectively. The staff of the Westward region is currently seeking an economically feasible and statistically valid means to conduct stock assessments on the rockfish resources of the region. (Contact Dave Jackson).

Given the lack of quantitative stock assessment information for much of Alaska, managers have established conservative harvest strategies for recreational rockfish fisheries. Recreational seasons and bag and possession limits for rockfish in Alaska are the most restrictive on the west coast. Bag limits are generally set at 5 daily and in some areas the harvest of non-pelagic rockfish is further restricted (Contact Scott Meyer).

d. Fisheries

Reported harvest of rockfishes from state-managed commercial fisheries in Southeast totaled 861 mt in 1998, of which 282 mt was directed DSR and 23 mt was black rockfish. A significant portion of the remaining rockfish taken in the Southeast district were shortraker and rougheye landings made in conjunction with the NSEI sablefish fishery. All rockfish harvested in state-managed fisheries in SE is taken by hook-and-line gear either in directed fisheries or incidental to fisheries for other species.

a. Research

A mandatory logbook program was instituted in 1997 for the two sablefish fisheries in Southeast. This is in addition to an intensive skipper interview program. The objective is to obtain detailed catch and effort information from the participants and provides an opportunity to collect tags recovered during the fisheries.

In 1998, ADF&G continued a mark/recapture study implemented in 1997 to evaluate the potential for obtaining an absolute abundance estimate of sablefish in Chatham Strait. A total of 10,541 fish were double marked and released in Chatham Strait during the 1997 and 1998 research surveys, 2-3 weeks prior the opening of the fishery. Recapture data were collected from the NSEI sablefish fishery by observers in major sablefish ports in Southeast Alaska. Among preliminary results there is an indication that marked fish may be "hook-shy" during the weeks immediately after marking, during the fishery and recapture portion of the study. If occurring, this would violate the assumption of equal capture probabilities of marked and unmarked fish associated with the abundance estimator. We are also exploring the use of an age/size structured model for estimating abundance of Chatham Strait sablefish (contact Dave Carlile).

b. Stock Assessment

Sablefish stock assessment longline surveys were conducted in each of the two Southeast Alaska inside management areas (SSEI and NSEI) for the tenth consecutive year during 1997. These surveys are designed to measure inter-annual changes in relative abundance. In addition, the surveys provide AWL, sex and maturity biological data from the sablefish populations within each area. Otoliths taken during these surveys are sent to the ADF&G age reading laboratory in Juneau for age determination.

In 1997, we made several changes in the survey design. We chartered commercial vessels using conventional gear with 2-m hook spacing, increased soak time from one to three hours and switched from herring to squid bait. These changes allowed us to fish 2-3 boats concurrently within the same tide cycle and to compare our results more directly with NMFS longline survey in the Gulf of Alaska. In addition, we extended the NSEI survey area to include the area south of Patterson Point in Chatham Strait to a point south and east of Cape Ommaney. The sablefish relative abundance index declined in SSEI in 1998 compared to 1997 survey results. The 1998 SSEI overall survey CPUE was 0.14 fish/hook and 0.28 kg/hk, compared to a CPUE of 0.17 fish/hook and 0.34 kg/hook in 1997. The mean sablefish length was 56.8 cm and mean weight was 2.06 kg in SSEI, a decline of 1 cm in length and approximately the same average weight reported in 1997. The overall survey CPUE in NSEI of 0.27 fish/hook and 1.02 kg/hook was slightly elevated from an overall CPUE of 0.26 fish/hook and 0.90 kg/hook in 1997. In NSEI, the 1998 mean sablefish length of 68.7 cm and mean weight of 3.8 kg was slightly less than the average length and weight in 1997. The average age was 8 in SSEI and 16 in NSEI, a one year decline in SSEI and a two year decline in NSEI compared to 1997. The cost of these surveys was offset by the sale of the fish caught. The fish were dressed and iced according to industry standards and the state receives all revenues from the sale of the fish (contact Meg Cartwright ).

c. Management

There are three separate internal water areas in Alaska, which are managed exclusively by the state. The Northern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, the Southern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, and the Prince William Sound District each have separate seasons and guideline harvest ranges. Although the North Gulf District and the Aleutian Island District are not classified as internal waters in the strictest sense, the state manages the sablefish fishery within the 3 mile limit in these areas is an open-access fishery. The GHL for the North Gulf District is set using an historic baseline harvest level adjusted annually by the same relative reduction to the TAC in the Central Gulf Area.

The sablefish fishery in PWS occurred under limited entry for the first time in 1996. Permit holders are restricted to gear and vessel size classes. Central Region staff annually conduct post fishery dockside interviews and sample landings in the ports of Cordova, Whittier, and Seward.

An annual harvest objective is selected within the guideline harvest range for each area based upon the best available information on current stock condition. In the SSEI fishery the season length is set prior to the opening according to the estimated time required by the existing fleet to reach the harvest objective.

Since 1984 both SSEI and NSEI sablefish fisheries have been managed under a license limitation program. Because of increased vessel efficiency the season for the NSEI Subdistrict was been reduced to a 24-hour per year "derby" style fishery by 1987. Even in that short season, the pre-season harvest objectives set by ADF&G have been consistently exceeded. Beginning in 1994 a new harvest strategy was adopted for the NSEI Subdistrict sablefish fishery. In response to a concern for potential over-exploitation, the Board of Fisheries adopted regulations that restrict the harvest to no more than 3,000,000 dressed weight for the 1994, 1995, and 1996 seasons. In 1997 the BOF adopted this equal share system as a permanent management measure for both the NSEI and SSEI sablefish fisheries. The 1997 quota in NSEI was 2177 mt (rd) and the SSEI quota was 358 mt (rd), with permit shares of 17.8 mt and 10.5 mt respectively. Because of the decline in the 1998 SSEI survey CPUE data and an increase in the number of smaller fish, the quota for SSEI was reduced 20% from previous years. Between June 1 and July 15 in 1998, the 27 longline and 4 pot SSEI permits landed 259 mt round weight out of the 286.6 mt round weight available quota for 1998. The NSEI fishery quota in 1998 remained the same as in 1997, 2,176.8 mt round weight. The 116 NSEI permits harvested 2,126.7 mt between September 1 and November 15 in 1998.

Sablefish fisheries in outer coastal state waters (0-3 miles) are managed in conjunction with the federal-managed fishery in the EEZ. In some areas of the Gulf the state opens the fishery concurrent with the EEZ opening. These fisheries are open access in state waters, as the state cannot legally implement IFQ management at this time. The quotas are based on historic catch averages and closed once these have been reached. There is no open-access sablefish fishery in the Southeast Outside district as there is extremely limited areas that fall inside state waters and are deep enough to support sablefish populations.

d. Fisheries

During the second limited entry season in the Prince William Sound area, a 24-hr fishery on May 1 and a 12-hour fishery on May 8 yielded 94 mt from 53 vessels. The open access sablefish fishery in the North Gulf District was open from 15 March to 27 June with a guideline harvest level of 33 mt. Increased catch rates during the last two weeks of the season coupled with late catch reporting resulted in 56 mt harvest. (Contact Charlie Trowbridge).

Within the Westward region, only the Aleutian Islands have sufficient habitat to support mature sablefish populations of sufficient magnitude to permit commercial fishing. All other sections within the region are closed on an annual basis by Emergency Order to avoid the potential for localized depletion from the small amounts of habitat within the jurisdiction of the state. Bycatch from the areas closed to directed fishing is limited to 1%. The 1998 Aleutian Island fishery opened concurrent to the Federal IFQ season on March 15. The GHL was calculated as 4.6% of the BSAI TAC, or 101 mt. The preliminary harvest from the 1998 Aleutian Islands sablefish fishery was 64mt. (contact Skip Gish).

a. Research

Westward Region has contracted with the University of Minnesota Electrical Engineering Department to develop a computer imaging system that would be able to identify and measure various flatfish species from a video image. The contract specifies the system needs to be rugged enough for use on board a survey vessel or in a fish processing plant. A specific goal of the project is the digital identification of the Northern and Southern rock sole. These species are not readily discriminated with the unaided human eye by external features, but it is hoped computer imaging can readily accomplish this task. Westward Region staff in cooperation with National Marine Fisheries Service is working on a seasonal trawl survey to study distribution and food habits of crabs and groundfish in the Marmot Bay complex. The study area will be sampled 6 times between June 1998 and June 1999.Contact Dan Urban)

c. Management

Trawl fisheries for flatfish are allowed in the internal waters of Southeast Alaska only under a special permit issued by the department. The permits are generally issued for no more than a month at a time and specify the area fished and may restrict the type of gear used. Mandatory logbooks are required and some areas cannot be fished unless there is an ADF&G observer on board. This restrictive management is necessary because of reduced flatfish stocks and because of a history of very high prohibited species bycatch rates, particularly crab and halibut, in flatfish trawl fisheries conducted in the internal waters of the state. New regulations adopted in November 1993 implemented a 20,000-pound maximum weekly trip limit in the trawl fishery. This was an industry proposal, the intent of which was to keep large catcher-processor vessels out of this fishery. In 1997 a different industry proposal to the BOF requesting an increase in weekly trip limit was rejected.

d. Fishery

The Southeast Alaska inside area flatfish trawl fishery was restricted to three small areas during the 1997-98 season with a harvest objective set for each area. As has been the case for the past five years, there was almost no effort in the Southeast fishery, with less than 9 mt of harvest reported. Most of the Southeast harvest is starry flounder and is used for bait in other groundfish fisheries while the Prince William Sound harvest is a mixture of shallow-water species.

a. Research

Pollock continue to be a dominant species in the Central Region ecosystems. Due to uncertainty about the appropriate harvest level for the PWS pollock fishery, assessment in 1998 will include commercial fishery catch sampling, collection of samples for genetic and isotope analysis, acoustic surveys of the spawning population, and bottom trawl surveys of the summer (post-spawning) population. In 1996, interactions between pollock, herring, and juvenile salmon were also examined as part of Sound Ecosystem Assessment (SEA) funded by the EXXON Valdez Oil Spill Restoration.

A hydroacoustic cruise and mid-water trawl survey were run in January and February 1995 in PWS. In addition the 1994 spring NMFS assessment data was reviewed. The 1995 biomass was projected to be 24,328 mt (Contact Bill Bechtol).

c. Management

The guideline harvest level for 1997 was set by adjusting the 1996 guideline harvest level by the same relative change applied by NMFS to the Central Gulf area. This resulted in a 1997 quota of 1,800 mt (Contact Bill Bechtol).

d. Fisheries

A 6-d fishery in January 1996 harvested 1,480 mt.

a. Research

The relative catch rate of dogfish is monitored in the Southern Southeast Inside area in conjunction with the annual sablefish survey in that area. Commercially landed dogfish are sampled for length, weight, sex and spines taken for aging.

c. Management

The Alaska Board of Fisheries prohibited all directed fisheries for sharks in 1998. In Southeast the bycatch rate for sharks and skates taken during other longline fisheries is 35% of the target species.

a. Research

Six lingcod research surveys were conducted during 1998 to collect CPUE information and to tag fish for a movement and migration study. Three dinglebar vessels were used to tag 679 lingcod in the Kruzof Island area. Over the past three years 2,710 lingcod have been tagged and 59 fish recovered (Contact Cleo Brylinsky).The ADF&G age reading laboratory uses cleared otoliths to age lingcod. It was difficult to get whole lingcod delivered to port in 1997 and consequently only 206 lingcod were sampled for age structures. (Contact Kris Munk).

The Division of Sport Fish collected harvest and fishery information on lingcod as part of an ongoing port-sampling program in the North Gulf of Alaska. The objectives of this program are 1) to estimate the age, sex, and size length compositions of lingcod harvests at select Gulf of Alaska ports and 2) to characterize the recreational groundfish fisheries that occur at these ports. Ports sampled included Seward, Valdez, Whittier, Kodiak, Homer, and Deep Creek/Anchor Point. In combination, these ports represent the primary areas of recreational groundfish harvest in the North Gulf of Alaska. The Division of Sport Fish also collects fishery-independent stock assessment data on lingcod on an intermittent basis in the North Gulf of Alaska to assess recruitment. Time-series information suggests that recruitment is highly variable and has not occurred at a rate necessary for replacement. A survey was conducted in 1998 to assess changes since 1994 in the relative abundance and length composition of lingcod in waters near Seward. The survey indicated very low abundance of lingcod in Resurrection Bay and recommended continuing the sport and commercial fishery closure of those waters. Survey results also indicated a relative downward shift in the size distribution in waters just outside Resurrection Bay. There are no similar programs focused on recreational groundfish fisheries ongoing in southeast Alaska. (Contact: Scott Meyer).

c. Management

A lingcod management plan adopted for the Southeast Alaska Region during 1993 went into effect until April 1994. The main elements of the plan include: 1.) Extension of the winter closure outward from the surf line to three miles from shore, 2.) Modification of the winter spawning closure period by one month to December 1 through April 30, 3.) Establishment of guideline harvest ranges for all six of the Southeast Region management areas based on 1/4 to 1/2 mt per nautical mile of rocky habitat inside 100 fm within each area, 4.) Apportionment of the fishery seasonally and among user groups in the two management areas where the fishery is fully utilized. The 27-inch (69 cm) minimum size limit remains in effect in the Southeast District.

A portion of the CSEO section was closed to harvest of lingcod in an attempt to prevent localized depletion in an area that seasonally has large aggregations of lingcod (see below). Because of high effort in portions of the EYKT and SSEO areas local areas were closed in-season to distribute harvest. This is the first time in-season management action was necessary in the SSEO area.

New regulations adopted for the Central Region in 1993 included: 1.) A complete area closure from January 1 through June 30, 2.) A minimum size limit of 35 inches (89 cm) overall or 28 inches (71 cm) from the front of the dorsal fin to the tip of the tail. These regulatory changes continue to reduce the harvest and effort from previous levels in the Central Region.

Central Region lingcod harvests have primarily occurred in the North Gulf District and the Outer District of Prince William Sound but have remained low with no apparent recruitment. The North Gulf commercial harvest was restricted to 16-mt beginning in 1997.

Given the lack of quantitative stock assessment information for much of Alaska, managers have established conservative harvest strategies for recreational lingcod fisheries. Recreational seasons and bag and possession limits for lingcod in Alaska are the most restrictive on the west coast. The fishery is managed under a spawning/nest guarding season closure, minimum size limits to protect spawners, and bag and possession limits (2 or less daily) (Contact: Scott Meyer).

d. Fishery

Lingcod are the target of a "dinglebar" troll fishery in Southeast Alaska. Dinglebar troll gear is salmon power troll gear modified to fish for groundfish. Additionally lingcod are landed as significant bycatch in the DSR longline fishery and as a limited bycatch in the halibut fishery. In 1997 the Board of Fisheries adopted a regulation that would allow longliners fishing for demersal shelf rockfish to retain 35% lingcod, by weight of their target catch.

There was less pressure on lingcod in the directed fishery in 1998 compared to earlier years although harvest in EYKT and SSEO remained high. A total of 45 permits were used in the directed lingcod fishery, accounting for 167 mt of lingcod. An additional 100 mt was taken as bycatch in other fisheries.