Dutch Harbor, Alaska--The Alaska offshore trawl fleet has moved one and one-half times farther north than usual in the eastern Bering Sea to harvest pollock in the fall fishery. Although both the inshore (Dutch Harbor and Akutan Island-based) and offshore (factory trawler) fleet components began the fall season at the same time in September, the offshore fleet found abundant pollock much farther north than usual and caught their quota by October 2, more than an estimated one month sooner than that projected for the inshore component. The inshore fleet has had difficulty finding pollock near the Aleutian Islands where surface sea water temperatures are reportedly 2.0o C higher than normal for the fall season. El Nino may be affecting the weather in Alaska since fishermen report much calmer conditions than usual. [Alaska Fishermen's Journal, Nov. 1997]..--Jeff June JAJfish@aol.com

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