The B-season catch of American pollock did not meet the quota, leading to a tightening supply of PBO fillets and upward pressure on prices.

According to data from the Groundfish Alliance of the Pacific (GAPP), the unutilized quota is mainly concentrated in the nearshore fleet. Industry executives stated that the reasons for the insufficient catch this year include bad weather, increased risk of bycatch of herring and salmon, and the early closure of some plants. "Bycatch of salmon and herring is always a major concern for fishing vessels, and this has been particularly evident this year," said Andrea Keikkala, Executive Director of the United Fishermen of Alaska. "However, the decline in the completion of the fishing quota is not solely due to this reason; factors such as timing of operations and route selection also play a role." Due to strict bycatch avoidance requirements and frequent autumn storms, many pollock fishing activities were postponed until late October. Meanwhile, some plants stopped production early, further limiting processing capacity. Despite this, other fishing sectors generally completed their set ...