Pacific Ocean Perch

  • Latin Name: Sebastes alutus
  • Market/vernacular names: POP, rockfish, redfish
  • Location: Gulf of Alaska, BSAI*
  • Note: North Star Fishing Co.’s vessels catch POP primarily in the GOA and do not have any significant quantity of quota for the Aleutian Island fishery. Information given below is for our GOA production.
  • Season: July 1-20
  • Total Catch/Quota:
    2011 BS catch: 5,600 metric tons, quota: 5,710 metric tons
    2011 AI catch: 18,400 metric tons, quota: 18,990 metric tons
    2011 GOA catch: 14,200 metric tons, quota: 16,997 metric tons
  • Products: H&G (headed and gutted)
  • Volume: POP is approximately 3% of North Star Fishing Co.’s total annual production
  • Size: Average length to 20 inches, general H&G weight 250-600 grams
  • Size Specification: H&G weight per fish
    2L: 620 – 900 gr
    L: 460 – 620 gr
    M: 370 – 460 gr
    S: 300 – 370 gr
    SS: 220 – 300 gr
  • Fishing Gear: Otter trawls rigged to fish over generally rougher substrates. Rockfish nets are designed to stay off the bottom as much as possible by employing numerous floats to buoy the net body and codend.
  • General Information: Pacific ocean perch is one of approximately 70 or so kinds of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) found from the Bering Sea to Baja California. Pacific ocean perch are an important component of Alaska groundfish fisheries, with catches taken primarily from shelf breaks and gullies in the northern Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands region. Pacific ocean perch is harvested mostly by catcher processors, and to a lesser extent, smaller catcher vessels. Catcher processors harvest multiple species, conduct primary processing aboard the vessel, and freeze their products on board.

Additional information on Pacific ocean perch can be found at NMFS Fishwatch.

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