ASTORIA, Ore. —Oregon fishermen say they're nervous about the possibility that petrale sole, one of the most valuable Pacific Ocean groundfish, will be labeled overfished.

An assessment of the fish population could lead the Pacific Fishery Management Council in September to halve catch limits immediately and possibly cancel the catch altogether until fish counts rebound.

Petrale sole is one of more than 80 species in the West Coast groundfish fishery, but it is a top moneymaker, worth an estimated $3 million to the 60 to 70 Oregon boats.

Astoria trawler Bob Williams says the petrale catch brings in about half the fleet's income in the winter, and he thinks it will hardly be worth going out if the fish is off limits.