Is the Alaska pollock fishery sustainably managed?
Yes. Natural fluctuations in the pollock biomass are cyclical and predictable, and catch limits are raised or lowered based on annual scientific assessments of the size of the pollock biomass. The fishery is closed once established quotas are reached. The fishery management system includes a comprehensive federal fishery observer program, in which observers monitor and report catches and collect information used by scientists in performing annual stock assessments. Fishery managers have closed areas to fishing to minimize fishery impacts on marine mammals and non-pollock fish species. All Alaska seafood, whether managed by the State of Alaska or the federal government, is harvested at sustainable levels. There is no overfishing of any species caught in the waters off Alaska. The Alaska pollock fishery has been recognized as sustainable by a number of independent environmental organizations including the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a third-party certification body created by the W
