State-Waters Pot Cod Fishery Set to Open

Jay Barrett/KMXT
Some of Kodiak’s pot cod fishermen will be shifting gears in the coming week. The National Marine Fisheries Service announced yesterday (Tuesday) that the Central Gulf of Alaska A-Season would close at noon today (Wednesday).
Therefore, according to an announcement from Kodiak Fish and Game, the Kodiak area state-waters p-cod pot gear season will open at noon next Thursday (Feb. 20).
The guideline harvest level for both pot and jig fishermen is 14.63-million pounds, with 7.32-million pounds set aside for pot sector. Of that, vessels greater than 58 feet overall are limited to 3.66 million pounds.
In the announcement Fish and Game reminds vessel operators participating in the parallel fishery that they may store open and unbaited pots during the seven days between now and the opening of the state-waters season. Additionally, only 60 pots per boat may be fished in the state season.