Fish Factor

Alaska is poised for some big fish stories next year based on predictions trickling in from state and federal managers.

For the state’s (and nation’s) largest fishery - Alaska pollock - the Eastern Bering Sea stock has more than doubled its ten year average to top nine million tons, or 20 billion pounds. And the stock is healthy and growing, according to annual surveys.

“It is one of the most stunning fisheries management successes on the planet,” exclaimed global market expert John Sackton when the pollock numbers were released by the (Seattle-based) Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Alaska po...