Sitka Herring | Huge Cut In Quota After Record Forecast In 2012

This year, the Sitka Sac Roe herring quota shrinks to 11,055 tons, which is a huge decline from last season’s forecast of nearly 30,000 tons. The early closure of the 2012 fishery shows the lack of accuracy in the predictive models used to forecast this delicate species. Alaska‘s history with the health of herring stocks is a tough story. Check here, Fishtory | Southeast Alaska And Herring, for more details. The best hope is that this smaller quota allows the stocks to replenish, while market prices soar from higher demands. The fishing fleet will likely be downsized this year with such a small quota. All permit holders will remain constant, but the number of tender vessels might be curtailed to deal with the smaller quota.

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