Science & Data

The Gulf of Alaska northern and southern rock sole assessment is conducted on a 4-year assessment cycle following the stock assessment prioritization schedule. During years when a full assessment is not completed, a partial assessment is conducted.

Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra n. sp.) are distributed primarily on the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf and in much lesser amounts in the Aleutian Islands region. Two species of rock sole are known to occur in the North Pacific Ocean.

The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) northern and southern rock sole assessment is conducted on a 4-year assessment cycle following the stock assessment prioritization schedule. During years when a full assessment is not completed, a partial assessment is conducted.

Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra n. sp.) are distributed primarily on the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf and in much lesser amounts in the Aleutian Islands region. Two species of rock sole are known to occur in the North Pacific Ocean...

The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) northern and southern rock sole assessment is conducted on a 4-year assessment cycle following the stock assessment prioritization schedule. During years when a full assessment is not completed, a partial assessment is conducted.

Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra n. sp.) are distributed primarily on the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf and in much lesser amounts in the Aleutian Islands region. Two species of rock sole are known to occur in the North Pacific Ocean...

The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) northern and southern rock sole assessment has been moved to a 4-year assessment cycle following the stock assessment prioritization schedule.

Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) are assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule as part of the National Marine Fisheries Service assessment prioritization plan implemented in 2017.

The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) northern and southern rock sole assessment has been moved to a 4-year assessment cycle per the stock assessment prioritization schedule. During years when a full assessment is not completed a partial assessment will be done. This year marks a partial assessment year. The last full assessment was completed in 2017 and marked the first year of the new assessment schedule.

The 2018 bottom trawl survey point estimate is a 21% decrease from the 2017 estimate. These two estimates are the lowest in the past 25 years and have the effect of lowering the assessment model time series abundance estimates relative to the last full assessment conducted in 2016. The model results indicate that the stock condition has been at a high and stable level but in a slow decline for the past 9 years. The female spawning biomass is now at a peak and is starting to decline as a result of the combination of strong recruitment from the 2001-2003 and 2005 year classes, which are presently at the age of maximum cohort biomass, and light fishery exploitation. Model 15.1 is the preferred model evaluated in this assessment. Models 18.1 through 18.3 represent Model runs made to examine alternate states of nature for contrast to the primary models results. Ensemble modeling was also investigated.