Fishery and notes on the biology of Pacific ocean perch Sebastes alutus (Sebastidae) off the Commander Islands

Abstract

The fishery and some aspects of the biology of the Pacific ocean perch Sebastes alutus off the Commander Islands. It has been established that the harvest of this species is episodic in nature, is not subject to seasonal dynamics and is carried out in a local area located west of the Bering Island. The contribution of this water area to the total catch of rockfishes in the Petropavlovsk-Commander subzone in 2001–2022 did not exceed 26.5%. Near the Commander Islands, S. alutus was observed at depths of 138–370 m at a water temperature near-bottom of 3.1–3.9°C, and in catches it was represented by individuals 17–45 cm length. Presumably the formation of accumulations in the upper part of the continental slope to the west of the Bering Island is due to the presence of an anticyclonic circulation, which contributes to the formation of high concentrations of zooplankton as the main food source and favorable conditions for the development of spawned larvae.