Fisheries Overview

Fishery for Bottom Fish Stocks

In the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, bottom trawl fisheries, bottom gillnet fisheries, and bottom longline fisheries have been conducted over the Emperor seamounts by Japan, Korea, and Russia. The primary target species of the bottom trawl fisheries have been North Pacific armorhead (Pentaceros wheeleri) and splendid alfonsino (Beryx splendens), and the primary target species of the bottom gillnet fisheries have been splendid alfonsino, oreo (Allocyttus folletti), and mirror dory (Zenopsis nebulosa).

In the Northeastern Pacific Ocean, the seamount long-line fishery began in the 1970's. Four seamount aggregations (Eickelberg Seamounts, Warwick Seamount, Cobb Seamounts, and Brown Bear Seamounts) have been fished by Canada, via longline hook and longline trap gear. Since the inception of the fishery, the target species of both the longline hook and longline trap harvesters has been sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria).

Fishery for Pelagic Fish Stocks

Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) has been harvested by China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Chinese Taipei and Vanuatu. These vessels mainly use stick-held dip nets or lift nets (a similar fishing method which uses fishing lamps) to catch Pacific saury. While Japanese and Russian vessels operate mainly within their EEZs, Chinese, Korean, and Chinese Taipei vessels operate mainly in the high seas of the North Pacific.
Besides Pacific saury, Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), Spotted mackerel (Scomber australasicus), Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus), neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii), and Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) are important for fisheries within the Convention area and adjacent areas.