February 3, 2014 — The new Dutch Harbor state-waters Pacific cod fishery will officially open next week. That’s as the federal Pacific cod season comes to a close Tuesday.
The Department of Fish and Game is closing the federal Pacific cod season in the Bering Sea-Aleutian Islands area for catcher vessels under 60 feet fishing with hook-and-line or pot gear. That means the parallel state-waters fishery for boats 58 feet and under fishing with pot gear is also closing. Both fisheries end at noon on Tuesday.
With that fishery at its quota, the new Dutch Harbor subdistrict, or DHS, is clear to open on Feb. 11 at noon.
The new fishery is in waters around Unalaska, Akutan and Unimak Islands. It’s for vessels 58 feet and under fishing with pot gear.