The US Bering Sea and Aleutian islands pollock fishery was certified as sustainable by the MSC in October 2004. Together with the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery they constitute the world’s largest whitefish fishery.

Pollock is a mild whitefish similar to cod, and is one of the most popular fish species in the world. It is found in a wide variety of fish dishes including fish sticks, oceans pies, fish burgers and surimi (imitation crab). MSC-labelled fish products featuring pollock are widely available around the world.

The MSC “seal of approval” has given both Alaska fisheries a competitive edge in European markets where environmental credibility can play a decisive role in purchasing decisions. MSC-labelled pollock dishes are widely available in Europe, Japan, USA and Canada.

For further information, please visit the At-sea Processors Association website. 

The fishery: Unit of certification

The certified Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands pollock fishery is defined as:

Surveillance 4: Completed 3rd July 2009

Surveillance report No.4 - 3rd July 2009

Surveillance 3: Completed

Surveillance report No.3 - 12th November 2008

Stakeholder Notification: Annual surveillance audit - 28 February 2008

Surveillance 2: Completed 4 December 2007

Surveillance report No.2 - 4 December 2007

Stakeholder Notification: Annual surveilance audit - 5 March 2007

Advisory: Annual surveillance audit timeframe extension - 27 November 2006

Surveillance 1: Completed 27 March 2006

Surveillance report No.1 - 27 March 2006

Stakeholder Notification: Confirmed surveillance team - 10 August 2005

Stakeholder Notification: Annual surveillance audit and proposed surveillance team - 28 June 2005

Advisory: Moody Marine appointed certification body for surveillance processes - 24 February 2005

Initial assessment: Certified February 2005

Certificates: Compliance with the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable fishing

Certificate of compliance MML-FC-06 - Valid 1st June 2010 to 30th September 2010

Stage 7: Objections procedure/public certification report and certificate issue

Client Memorandum of Agreement (APA & BUC) - 12th November 2010

Client Memorandum of Agreement (APA & AFDF) - 12th November 2010

Extension of scope - 12th November 2010

Fishery certificate - 12th November 2010

Public certification report - 16 May 2005

Action plan for meeting the conditions for continued certification - 1 March 2005

Objections procedure

Decision to Dismiss Objection - 30 September 2004

Further documentation relating to the 2004/05 Alaska pollock objections procedure can be acquired by contacting the MSC at standards@msc.org

Stage 6: Final report and determination

Final report and determination - 14 June 2004

Stakeholder Notification: Final report and determination - 14 June 2004

Stage 5: Public review of the draft assessment report

Public comment draft report - 3 September 2003

Stakeholder Notification: Public comment draft report released - 3 September 2003

Stage 4: Client and peer review

Stakeholder Notification: Peer reviewers proposed - 23 April 2003

Stage 3: Information gathering, stakeholder meetings and scoring

Stage 2: Building the assessment tree

Draft assessment tree - 5 March 2002

Stakeholder Notification: Draft assessment tree released for comment - 5 March 2002

Stage 1: Fishery announcement and assessment team formation

Stakeholder Notification: Assessment team announced - 1 July 2001

Stakeholder Notification: Fishery enters full assessment - 4 January 2001

Surveillance audits: First certification period 2010-2015

Surveillance 2: Commenced April 2012

Stakeholder Notification: Surveillance visit scheduled - 24 April 2012

Surveillance 1: Completed July 2011

Surveillance report No.1 - 26th July 2011

Stakeholder Notification: Surveillance announcement  - 13th April 2011

Reassessment: Certified December 2010

Variation response: Inseparable or Practically Inseparable (IPI) catch - 3rd March 2011

Variation request: Inseparable or Practically Inseparable (IPI) catch - 3rd March 2011

Certificates: Compliance with the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable fishing

Certificate of compliance MML-FC-06 - Valid 14th December 2010 to 13th December 2015

Stage 7: Objections procedure/public certification report and certificate issue

Stakeholder Notification: Issuance of public certification report - 14th December 2010

Public certification report - 14th December 2010

Stakeholder Notification: Extension to existing certificate - 30th September 2010

Stage 6: Final report and determination

Stakeholder Notification: Extension to final report and determination comment period - 31st August 2010

Final report and determination - 22nd July 2010

Stakeholder Notification: Announcement of final report and determination - 22nd July 2010

Stage 5: Public review of the draft assessment report

Stakeholder Notification: Extension to certificate - 25th June 2010

Stakeholder Notification: Extension to certificate - 15th February 2010

Public comment draft report - 13th January 2010

Stakeholder Notification: Public comment draft report released - 13th January 2010

Stage 4: Client and peer review

Stakeholder Notification: Peer reviewers proposed - 3rd November 2009

Stage 3: Information gathering, stakeholder meetings and scoring

Stakeholder Notification: Site visit scheduled - 30th March 2009

Stage 2: Building the Assessment Tree

Stakeholder Notification: Announcement of the intention to use the default assessment tree - 3rd March 2009

Stage 1: Fishery announcement and assessment team formation

Stakeholder Notification: Assessment team nominations - 4th February 2009

Stakeholder Notification: Fishery re-enters full assessment - 29th January 2009

Assessment timeline - 29th January 2009

At-sea Processors Association (APA)

Director of Public Affairs
1225 I Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC  20005
USA
Tel.+1 (202) 712 9119
Fax.+1 (202) 789 1116

Contact: Mr Jim Gilmore
jgilmore@atsea.org

www.atsea.org

Certification Bodies

Fishery assessment:
SCS
2200 Powell Street
Suite 725
Emeryville,
CA 94608
U.S.A.
Tel: +1 650 969 1366
Fax: +1 650 969 4731

Contact: Dr Chet Chaffee
chaffe3@attglobal.net

www.scscertified.com

Surveillance audits:
Intertek Moody Marine Limited

815-99 Wyse Road
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 
B3A 4S5
Canada

Contact: Dr Rob Blyth - Skyrme
Tel: +1 808 351 0050
Email: rob@ichthysmarine.com

Contact: Paul Knapman
p.knapman@moodyint.com

http://www.moodyint.com/

Certified as sustainable on 14 February 2005 and recertified on 14th December 2010.

Summary

Species: Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)    
Location: Eastern Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands
Fishing methods: Pelagic trawl.
Vessels: Catcher/processor vessels that catch and process pollock at sea, and trawl catcher vessels that deliver pollock onshore for processing or to mothership processing vessels.
Number of fisheries: 1

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Fishery Fact Sheet

Download the Alaska pollock fisheries fact sheet for A4 paper
Download the Alaska pollock fisheries fact sheet for US letter paper

Do you source fish from this fishery?

Show your customers how the fish is caught – download and display this case study from our Net Benefits report.
Download Fishers' stories - Net Benefits 2009 - Bering Sea Aleutian Is pollock (PDF, 200kb)

More about pollock

Walleye or Alaska pollock are schooling, midwater to bottom-dwelling fish. Pollock live anywhere between shallow, nearshore waters to 1000 metres, but most are found between 100 to 300 metres depth. The general pattern seen in pollock is a move inshore during summer months and offshore into deeper waters during winter months. Pollock can live to over 15 years and reach a length of 100 cm. Pollock begin to recruit to the fishery at age 4. Males and females begin to reproduce between 3 and 4 years of age and are externally indistinguishable.

More about the fishing methods

The BS/AI pollock fishery is a mid-water trawl fishery. The fleet is comprised of trawl catcher vessels that deliver pollock onshore for processing or to mothership processing vessels.  A portion of the annual harvest is allocated to catcher/processor vessels that both harvest and process.

Fishery tonnage

1,000,000 metric tonnes

Commercial market

The primary markets for Alaska pollock products are Japan, the US and Europe. Japan is the principal market for surimi (minced fish) and roe pollock products. The US and Europe are the main markets for fillet-type products. Fillets are used for fish and chips and fish fingers; surimi is used for imitation crab and similar products.