Bids are due by Jan. 8 for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Prince William Sound area Pollock test fishery.
The winning bidder will be using pelagic trawl gear to harvest up to 900,000 pounds (408 metric tons) of walleye Pollock. Eligible vessels must register for the 2020 Prince William Sound directed Pollock pelagic trawl fishery.
The minimum bid price is 30 cents a pound. Bids are being accepted for three individual lots of 300,000 pounds each. Contracts are to be awarded to the high bidders, but in the event of a bidding tie, the winner will be decided via a random drawing.
The area open for the test fishery will be the same as that opened for the commercial fishery. Revenue generated by the test fishery will be used to offset costs of assessment and management in Prince William Sound.
Groundfish area management biologists Jan Rumble and Elisa Russ said that the test fishery may be scheduled for the week before the regulatory opening of the Prince William Sound directed Pollock pelagic trawl fishery between noon Jan. 12 and noon Jan. 19, or following closure of that fishery, for which timing will depend on when and if the guideline harvest level is achieved. Fishing area restrictions may apply if the harvest or bycatch caps have been reached for one or more sections.
All costs associated with the test fishery are to be assumed by the successful bidder.
Bids must be received at the ADF&G Homer office by noon on Jan. 8.
