The yelloweye rockfish comprises more than 95% of the commercial and sport harvest and is the primary target compared to six other species, including quillback, copper, rosethorn, canary, China and tiger rockfish.

Demersal shelf rockfish and yelloweye rockfish fisheries in southeast Alaska are included in the ban, the fish and game department said.

With allowable catch numbers going up 140 percent for yelloweye rockfish and more than 10-fold for Pacific Ocean perch in 2019, fishermen will be at liberty to target other groundfish as well without fear of exceeding the limits.

Catch limits are not going up for all groundfish but higher quotas on some key species, such as yelloweye rockfish, will allow improved access to others.

Yelloweye rockfish, in particular, Donnelly considers “one of the best things that swims in the ocean.”