Pollock Price Dispute in Gulf of Alaska, and Bycatch Spike, Also Contribute to Trawler Tie-up  A price dispute over Gulf of Alaska Pollock resulted in a spike in halibut bycatch and contributed to a trawler tie-up in the region. Low Pollock prices saw trawlers opt for groundfish instead of Pollock, which resulted in a spike in halibut bycatch compared to last year. Meanwhile, 34 four Central Gulf of Alaska trawlers and 19 Western Gulf of Alaska trawlers have agreed not to fish from Feb. 3-6. The move is a show of support to the trawlers traveling to Portland to testify before the NPFMC over two major issues before the Council: how to successfully transition the fishery to an IFQ system and how to effectively minimize salmon and halibut bycatch. “The management structure we have right now just does not work,” said Bob Krueger, executive director of Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association. “We’re set up to fail again unless we get another management structure. The last thing the state needs is to have the economy of the Gulf melt down.” All three West Coast Pacific whiting sectors -- mothership, catcher-processor and shoreside -- had a difficult season in 2015. The mothership sector harvested 39 percent of their sector allocation in 2015; catcher-processors, 68 percent; and shoreside, 47 percent. Meanwhile, processors found little reprieve on the market side. Average ex-vessel prices were $0.08 cents per pound in 2015; by comparison, the average ex-vessel price in 2012 was $0.14 cents per pound. In other news NOAA once again cut the catch quotas for New England’s groundfish sector. Gray sole was cut 55 percent; Georges Bank cod was reduced 66 percent; northern windowpane flounder is down 33 percent; and Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder is slashed 26 percent. Finally, Brazilian shrimp producer Camanor may have developed a technology that could revolutionize the farmed shrimp business. The company—founded by Werner Jost—uses a technology called AquaScience that allows Camanor to create the exact mineral profile that shrimp need to for growth and optimum health. The system also reduces the amount of water needed for production and is designed to eliminate the need for antibiotics and chemicals.