INFORMATION BULLETIN (98-08)                  February 12, 1998
Steven Pennoyer                               4:20 p.m
907-586-7221                                  For Immediate Release
                          
CLARIFICATION OF STANDARD POLLOCK DENSITY FACTORS TO BE USED IN
                   THE 1998 POLLOCK FISHERIES
 
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is clarifying the
use of standard pollock density factors used by the agency to
derive volumetric estimates of pollock catch, according to Steven
Pennoyer, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

NMFS has revised pollock density factors employed by observers to
estimate catches of pollock aboard processor vessels in 1998. 
The density factor of 0.98 mt/m3 for bins and 1.02 mt/m3 for
codends is based on extensive, controlled research carried out by
the agency as part of a catch weight determination study aboard
the F/T American Triumph in 1996 and 1997.  The original density
factor of 0.93 mt/m3 was based on a small number of measurements
made by observers in 1993 and employed a method now known to be
inaccurate.

NMFS intends to manage the total harvest of Bering Sea pollock 
based on the best available data so that the total allowable
catch (TAC) is not exceeded.  NMFS estimates that the revised
density factors will result in about a 2 percent adjustment of
the total pollock catch during 1998.  Although the impact on
resource management will be minimal, the agency recognizes that
the effect of the revised density factors on individual
operations may be different.  The agency is willing, therefore, 
to delay the implementation of the revised density factors until
mid 1998 to provide the industry adequate time to make any
necessary adjustments to their fishing operations and to comment
on the planned revisions and the research upon which these
changes are based.  NMFS will respond to all comments received. 
This delay will not affect the agency's ability to manage the
1998 pollock TAC given the minor impact the revised density
factors have on overall pollock catch estimates.  In the event
that the overall 1998 "A" season pollock catch estimate exceeds
the original allocation, an adjustment in the amount of pollock
available for the "B" season will be made.

Observers have been instructed to use the new density factors and
will continue to be required to do so in the open access and
pollock community development quota (CDQ) fisheries.  Mid season
changes to observer instructions can create confusion and
potentially impact the quality of catch estimates used by NMFS to
manage the pollock fisheries.  Therefore, adjustments in fleet
wide and CDQ pollock catch estimates, which reflect the policy to
delay implementation of the new density factors until mid-year,
will be made by management staff at the NMFS Alaska Region
office. 

This information bulletin provides clarification of existing catch
estimation procedures.  To obtain further information, contact
the Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, 907-586-7228.