Thirty government scientists will be spending the next few months studying fish in the Bering Sea.

The researchers are participating in bottom-trawl surveys doing stock assessments of species such as walleye pollock, Pacific cod, yellowfin sole, northern rock sole and three species of crab.

Eighteen scientists are leaving this week from Dutch Harbor aboard three fishing vessels chartered for this year's survey.

Some of the fish have been surveyed for decades. The information forms the basis for many of the stock assessments used for groundfish and crab harvest advice in Alaska.