The biomass of Alaska Bering Sea pollock has sharply decreased, potentially affecting the quota set for 2026.

Published 2025년 12월 4일

Tridge summary

Core Insight: According to the latest survey by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the biomass of pollock in the eastern Bering Sea region of Alaska has decreased by 30% year-on-year to 3.8 million tons, below the historical average of 4.6 million tons. This data has been submitted to the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council and advisory bodies for a meeting this week in Anchorage, Alaska, to provide a scientific basis for the establishment of quotas for next year.

Original content

From May 31 to July 26, 2025, the NOAA survey team completed the annual survey of the eastern Bering Sea, collecting data from 350 stations. Scientific models show that the walleye pollock biomass dropped sharply from 5.48 million tons in 2024 to 3.83 million tons in 2025, a decrease of over 1.6 million tons. The survey results also show that the age structure richness of the eastern Bering Sea walleye pollock has declined significantly by 36%, with multiple age groups of fish populations affected, not just a single weak group. Length composition data show that no new prime-age fish populations have been found in the eastern Bering Sea this year. Since 2018, no more robust fish populations have appeared in the eastern Bering Sea, and the rate of juvenile fish iteration cannot compensate for the frequency of biomass decline. The density of walleye pollock populations in the central and southern continental shelves of the Bering Sea has significantly decreased, which are the main ...

Source: Foodmate