2014 Assessment of the Shark Stock Complex in the Gulf of Alaska
April 09, 2014
The shark complex (spiny dogfish, Pacific sleeper shark, salmon shark and other/unidentified sharks) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule. GOA sharks are a Tier 6 complex, however, the ABC and OFL for spiny dogfish are calculated using a Tier 5 approach with the survey biomass estimates considered a minimum estimate of biomass. The complex OFL is based on the sum of the Tier 5 and Tier 6 (average historical catch between the years 1997 - 2007) recommendations for the individual species. For this summary, we have updated the time series of catch through October 1,
2014 to reflect any changes that might have occurred in the Catch Accounting System (for the years 2003
– 2014).
A full stock assessment document will be
presented in next year’s SAFE report. A document was presented to the September Groundfish Plan Team
and subsequently to the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) at the October North Pacific Fisheries
Management Committee (NPFMC) meeting, which addresses specific concerns expressed by the SSC
regarding the potential effects of the observer program restructuring on the estimates of shark catch. That
document is appended to this executive summary.