Fish Factor: Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea groundfish catch quotas go up

“Tis the season for even bigger Alaska fish catches when groundfish seasons open at the start of the New Year.

Catches of pollock, cod, flounders and other groundfish account for nearly 85 percent of Alaska’s harvest poundage, and 67 percent of the nation’s total groundfish harvests. Those numbers could increase due to boosts in several catch quotas in both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea for the next two year.

For pollock, the nation’s largest fishery, the catch is up slightly to 1.3 million metric tons, or just under three billion pounds.

The Pacific cod quota is down a bit to 525 mill...