Alaska shifts fishing quotas to keep Pacific cod harvest numbers up

US regulators are reallocating how much Pacific cod different types of fishing boats can catch in the Gulf of Alaska. This change lets more boats use hook-and-line or pot gear to catch fish that trawl boats would otherwise leave in the water.

This is a small, technical adjustment to ensure the total allowable catch of Pacific cod is met. It means that even if one type of fishing gear isn't catching enough fish, the quota won't go unused. Instead, other types of boats can pick up the slack, which keeps the overall harvest numbers steady.