Walleye Pollock

Biology

• Walleye Pollock live throughout the Northern Pacific with the largest population located in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.  They thrive in mid-bottom dwelling up to 1000 m in depth.

•  They are considered one of the most important fish resources in the world with 2 million metric tons are caught each year or $2 billion dollars worth of fish.

• Pollock serve as important prey for many marine mammals and are also consumed by humans as the fish in many frozen fish products.

Threats

•  The increases in the water temperature of the Bering Sea favor Pollock, a sub-arctic species, and may explain the increase in its biomass and movement to these arctic waters.

•  Overfishing endangers not only the fish itself but also the ecosystem in which it thrives.