The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) manages the U.S. fishery as two stocks separated at Cape Mendocino, California (40^o30'N).

Assessments include "only the population between Cape Mendocino and 49^oN. lat.(Northern stock). The northern stock is divided into three assessment areas: Southern Vancouver from Cape Elizabeth (47^o 20'N) to approximately 49^oN, Northern Columbia from Cape Falcon (45^o 46'N) to Cape Elizabeth (47^o 20'N), and Eureka/South Columbia from Cape Mendocino (40^o 30'N) to Cape Falcon (45^o 46'N)."(Wallace and Lai, 2005)

Stock identification studies do not agree on stock structure. However the main studis of Wishard et al. (1980) and McGauley (1991), support a homogenous stock hypothesis.