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American Pollack Reserves Are Dwindling

The harvested quota will most likely be further reduced

Nov 25, 2008 19:01 GMT  ·  By
Walleye pollack reserves are becoming increasingly scarce with each year
   Walleye pollack reserves are becoming increasingly scarce with each year

Though many US citizens don't know this, the eastern part of the Bering Sea is the most productive fishery for America, yielding by itself more than a third of the amount of fish the market requires yearly. The Alaska pollack, also known as the walleye, is one of the species that can be found in almost every supermarket in the country, as well as in the menus of some fast food restaurants. However, due to extensive overfishing during the past few years, populations have dropped significantly, and now the entire area is on the verge of collapse.  

The scientific circles overseeing the harvesting of the walleye detailed in a report that this year's quota had to be reduced to 815.000 tonnes, if the fishery is to survive until next year. The amount of fish that can be harvested from this site is decided every year, depending on the measurements the scientists perform and their results. Usually, their opinions weigh the most in the eyes of decision-makers.  

Over the last 3 years, the allotted amounts for commercial fishermen and companies have dropped considerably, from 1.5 million tonnes in 2005. Even at that time, it was obvious that keeping up this level of harvesting would mean the depletion of the fish reserves within years.  

The environmental group Greenpeace stressed the necessity of policy-makers to limit the annual amounts of walleye that can be captured to as little as 500,000 tonnes, if these fish are to have any chance of recovering. The decline in their numbers can also be noticed when looking at their main predators, the stellar sea lion, which lost 80 percent of its individuals over the past several years.  

Furthermore, the 2008 walleye pollack survey revealed that populations were reduced by as much as 50 percent compared to the study in 2007, which would mean that even a single year of unsustainable exploitation could mean the peril of these fish. Their disappearance would severely affect the American food supply, and would also drive prices through the roof, in the middle of the global economic crisis.