As of April 8, the National Marine Fisheries Service reported that 70,066 metric tons (154 million pounds) of Pacific cod had been harvested in federal waters commercial fisheries in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and the Gulf of Alaska. This was about one-quarter of the total allowable catch (TAC) in each region.

Heading and gutting was the order of the day for the catcher-processor fleets, which processed 91 percent (BSAI) and 95 percent (Gulf) of their P. cod into H&G product forms. Shoreside processors in both regions processed cod into a more diverse range of products. H&G still led the way in BSAI regions, but fillets were more common in the Gulf. Other product forms included roe, milt, and salt cod.

State water cod fisheries (those occurring within three miles of shore) were also ongoing in several areas of the state, including the Alaska Peninsula, Chignik, Kodiak, Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound and Southeast. Total harvest volume through April 17 was 19.5 million pounds, mostly from the Westward region (Kodiak, Chignik, South Alaska Peninsula).

Cod Aquaculture

Aquaculture firms have been working for several years to develop aquaculture techniques for Atlantic cod. At least two companies, Cooke Aquaculture of Canada and Black Pearl Seafood of the Shetland Islands, Scotland displayed adult farm-raised cod at their trade booths at the Boston Seafood Show in March. They are among a number of companies currently raising cod in net pens with the intention of bringing product to market.

Seafood trade press reports indicate that Norwegian production of farmed cod could reach 12,000 metric tons (26.4 million pounds) in 2006. For comparison, this volume exceeds the entire TAC for state waters cod fisheries in the Westward management region in Alaska. Current high prices and supply shortages for cod are likely to buoy interest in aquaculture production.