The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has been tagging and releasing groundfish in Alaska waters since 1972. In that time, approximately 452,000 tags have been released and over 36,000 have been recovered.
Alaska Ecosystem Status Reports are to provide stronger links between Alaska ecosystem research and fishery management and spur new understanding of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together the results of diverse research efforts.
Rockfish are some of the most colorful and diverse fish in Alaskan waters, and are prized by both commercial and recreational fishermen. They are also among the oldest fish on earth, with some species living over 100 years.
NOAA Fisheries scientists in Alaska partnered with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences to provide a comprehensive assessment of the northeastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea.