The fall or “B” season for Pacific cod is underway, with a total
allowable catch set at 53,348 metric tons, an increase of nearly 10 percent over
last year’s quota and 40 percent over the 2010 TAC.
Following earlier openings in the state’s cod fishery, fishermen
still have 176,901 metric tons of the TAC remaining in the fall season.
The season for the Alaska cod jig fishery in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian islands opened Aug. 31, while fisheries for hook and line, pot and trawl
gear opened in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska on Sept. 1.
Alaska Pacific cod harvests account for over 95 percent of all
cod, regardless of species, caught in the United States, the Alaska Seafood Marketing
Institute noted.
Alaska cod harvests are allocated by both gear type and location
to ensure the long- term health of the state’s cod fisheries. Alaska cod are caught
by hook and line, pot, trawl and mechanical jigs, with virtually all fish either
frozen or chilled at sea. Alaska’s Pacific cod fisheries are sprawled over an area
from the Bering Sea to Southeast Alaska.
Pacific cod can be roasted, poached, steamed, sautéed or deep-fried
and is considered a good choice for anything from fish and chips to fish tacos.
It is a good source of low-fat protein, phosphorus, niacin and vitamin B12.
More information on Pacific cod harvested in Alaska is at www.wildalaskaflavor.com.