The shark complex (spiny dogfish, Pacific sleeper shark, salmon shark and other/unidentified sharks) in the Gulf of Alaska is assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule.
The shallow-water flatfish stock complex in the Gulf of Alaska includes Alaska plaice, butter sole, English sole, sand sole, starry flounder, yellowfin sole, northern rock sole, and southern rock sole.
All Gulf of Alaska rockfish stocks are assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule to coincide with the availability of new survey data and in accordance with the National Stock Assessment Prioritization effort.
Walleye pollock is a semi-pelagic schooling fish widely distributed in the North Pacific Ocean. Pollock in the central and western Gulf of Alaska are managed as a single stock independently of pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
Pacific cod is a transoceanic species, occurring at depths from shoreline to 500 m. The southern limit of the species’ distribution is about 34° N latitude, with a northern limit of about 63° N latitude.
The Other Rockfish (OR) complex in the Gulf of Alaska is assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule to coincide with the availability of new trawl survey biomass estimates.
At least seven species of octopus are found in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). For management purposes, all octopus species are grouped into a single assemblage.
The Gulf of Alaska northern and southern rock sole assessment is conducted on a 4-year assessment cycle following the stock assessment prioritization schedule. During years when a full assessment is not completed, a partial assessment is conducted.