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Atlantic Cod, U.S. and Canada

Gadus morhua

Sometimes known as Codfish, Scrod

This Species is Wild Caught

Summary

Decades of overfishing have driven Atlantic Cod populations in the US and Canada to historic low levels. While some populations have shown signs of recovery in recent years, the overall recovery of Atlantic Cod has been variable and unstable. Management efforts in the US and Canada have improved in recent years, however, recovery is still expected to be slow for Atlantic Cod populations The main fishing method for Atlantic Cod is bottom trawling, which causes substantial damage to bottom habitats. Bycatch levels range greatly between fishing regions, with recent changes in management policy aiming to reduce the amount of bycatch. Instead of Atlantic Cod, try Pacific Cod, Lingcod or Walleye Pollock.



CRITERIONPoints
Life History1.50
Abundance0.50
Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts0.50
Management1.75
Bycatch1.75
Final Score 1.20
Color
Final ScoreColor
2.60 - 4.00
2.20 - 2.59
1.80 - 2.19
1.40 - 1.79
0.00 - 1.39

Life History

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

If a value for intrinsic rate of increase (‘r’) is known, assign the score below based on this value. If no r-value is available, assign the score below for the correct age at 50% maturity for females if specified, or for the correct value of growth rate ('k'). If no estimates of r, age at 50% maturity, or k are available, assign the score below based on maximum age.

1.00Intrinsic rate of increase <0.05; OR age at 50% maturity >10 years; OR growth rate <0.15; OR maximum age >30 years.

2.00Intrinsic rate of increase = 0.05-0.15; OR age at 50% maturity = 5-10 years; OR a growth rate = 0.16-0.30; OR maximum age = 11-30 years.

Intrinsic rate of increase varies with population. One study suggests that one-half of Atlantic Cod populations have an r value >.50, while the remaining half have an r-value that would put Atlantic Cod on the border between a high and medium score (Hutchings 2001). The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the r-value is 0.14-0.35 (FAO 2001), which is also a borderline score. Age at maturity is moderate, ranging from 2 to 8 years (Mayo and O'Brien 2006; NMFS 1999b; DFO 2001a; DFO 2001b; DFO 2001c; DFO 2001d), while maximum age is over twenty years (DFO 2000). Growth rates of Atlantic Cod are temperature dependent, slower in the Gulf of Maine (k=0.13) than on Georges Bank (k=0.26) (Tallack 2009). Atlantic Cod off the U.S. and Canada have a growth rate of k=0.17 on average (Tallack 2009). Overall, the life history characteristics indicate a middle score of 2.

3.00Intrinsic rate of increase >0.16; OR age at 50% maturity = 1-5 years; OR growth rate >0.30; OR maximum age <11 years.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)
-0.25Species has special behaviors that make it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., spawning aggregations; site fidelity; segregation by sex; migratory bottlenecks; unusual attraction to gear; etc.).

Atlantic Cod form dense spawning and schooling aggregations (NMFS 1999b; PFMC 1998a), which make large catches possible with minimum effort.

-0.25Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity >20 years; sequential hermaphrodites; extremely low fecundity).

-0.25Species has a small or restricted range (e.g., endemism; numerous evolutionarily significant units; restricted to one coastline; e.g., American lobster; striped bass; endemic reef fishes).

-0.25Species exhibits high natural population variability driven by broad-scale environmental change (e.g. El Nino; decadal oscillations).

For the period 1600-1900 there is a correlation between water temperature and catches of Atlantic Cod in the Northwest Atlantic. The population structure of Atlantic Cod appears to have changed over cycles of 50-60 years (McLean & Tysban 2001).

+0.25Species does not have special behaviors that increase ease or population consequences of capture OR has special behaviors that make it less vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., species is widely dispersed during spawning).

+0.25Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially resilient to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity <1 year; extremely high fecundity).

Atlantic Cod are highly fecund. The average egg production for a female cod is 1 million eggs per year. Size and weight increase the amount of eggs produced. Females of 80 cm can produce approximately 2 million eggs; and females of 130 cm can produce over 11 million (DFO 2000a). A female that weighs 5 kg will produce roughly 2.5 million eggs, whereas a female that weighs 15 kg will produce about 7.5 million eggs. Experiments using captive cod have shown that first time spawners produce fewer, less viable eggs than second time spawners (Trippel 1998). This is an important issue, since it suggests that size may not be the only factor affecting fecundity. It is important to note that much of the commercial catch consists of 4-6 year age class for cod (NEFSC 2006). This suggests that despite high fecundity in larger individuals, Atlantic Cod are being caught before reaching large size, thus no points were added.

+0.25Species is distributed over a very wide range (e.g., throughout an entire hemisphere or ocean basin; e.g., swordfish; tuna; Patagonian toothfish).

Atlantic Cod occur on both sides of the north Atlantic Ocean. In the northwest Atlantic, their geographic range extends from Greenland and southern Baffin Island, along the continental slope off Labrador, Newfoundland, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Grand Bank and Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine, and southward to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In the northeast Atlantic, Atlantic Cod populations are distributed from Iceland to the Norwegian Sea, to the Barents Sea and Spitsbergen, and southward to the Baltic Sea and the Bay of Biscay (AFP 2002). We consider this a medium-sized range, so no points were added.

+0.25Species does not exhibit high natural population variability driven by broad-scale environmental change (e.g., El Nino; decadal oscillations).


1.50Points for Life History

Abundance

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Compared to natural or un-fished level, the species population is:

1.00Low: Abundance or biomass is <75% of BMSY or similar proxy (e.g., spawning potential ratio).

Atlantic Cod are at low biomass levels throughout their range, compared to historical numbers. In 2007, the Georges Bank population was estimated at 12% of the target spawning stock biomass for maximum sustainable yield (SSBMSY) (O’Brien et al, 2007). The Georges Bank population is considered overfished and overfishing is occurring (O’Brien et al, 2007). In 2007, the Gulf of Maine population was at 58% of the target SSBMSY, therefore the population is no longer classified as overfished by the US government, but overfishing is still occurring (Mayo et al 2009). There are no threshold biomass levels to formally classify Canadian populations as overfished or healthy; however, they are listed as threatened and endangered by the Species at Risk Act in Canada and are known to be at critically low levels of abundance (COSEWIC 2003).

2.00Medium: Abundance or biomass is 75-125% of BMSY or similar proxy; OR population is approaching or recovering from an overfished condition; OR adequate information on abundance or biomass is not available.

3.00High: Abundance or biomass is >125% of BMSY or similar proxy.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)
-0.25The population is declining over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE).

-0.25Age, size or sex distribution is skewed relative to the natural condition (e.g., truncated size/age structure or anomalous sex distribution).

Size, age and maturity have declined in recent decades. Fish ages 2-5 comprise the majority of the catch, even though Atlantic Cod can live for over 20 years (DFO 2000a; Mayo and O'Brien 2000). Significant declines in age and size at maturity is thought to be a genetic response from heavy fishing pressure (Hutchings 2005), however other factors such as heavy overfishing and prey availability may also lead to a size shift (O’Brien, personal communication). When fish mature earlier in life, it can lead to a decrease in population growth, slowing or stalling any natural recovery of the fishery (Hutchings 2005).

-0.25Species is listed as "overfished" OR species is listed as "depleted", "endangered", or "threatened" by recognized national or international bodies.

The IUCN has classified Atlantic Cod as 'vulnerable' (IUCN 2009), and the U.S. lists Atlantic Cod as overfished in the Georges Bank population, but the Gulf of Maine population was removed from the list of overfished species in 2008; overfishing is still occurring in both these populations. Canada’s Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) classified the Newfoundland and Labrador cod populations as endangered.

-0.25Current levels of abundance are likely to jeopardize the availability of food for other species or cause substantial change in the structure of the associated food web.

+0.25The population is increasing over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE).

The spawning biomass of Atlantic Cod is increasing in certain areas, and decreasing in others. Canadian population assessments show that offshore cod biomass is increasing slightly, but inshore biomass is stable or decreasing. The spawning biomass in the Gulf of Maine has increased in recent years (Mayo et al. 2009), but decreased some years in Georges Bank (O’Brien et al. 2008). Because results were not conclusive, no points were added or subtracted.

+0.25Age, size or sex distribution is functionally normal.

+0.25Species is close to virgin biomass.

+0.25Current levels of abundance provide adequate food for other predators or are not known to affect the structure of the associated food web.


0.50Points for Abundance

Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the effect of the fishing method upon the habitat that it affects.

1.00The fishing method causes great damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., cyanide; blasting; bottom trawling; dredging).

A substantial component of the Atlantic Cod catch is taken with otter (bottom) trawls in the US and Canada. The effects of otter trawling on seafloor habitat have been identified as potentially damaging (NRC 2002). In 2007, gear use in the Gulf of Maine was composed of otter trawls (37.5%), sink gill nets (53.2%) and line trawl and hand-line (5.7%) (Mayo et al. 2009). During 2000-2003 in Georges Bank, US landings of cod were taken by otter trawl (69%) and gillnet gear (16%) while Canadian landings were taken by longlines (53%) and otter trawl (34%) (O’Brien et al., 2006).

2.00The fishing method does moderate damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., bottom gillnets; traps and pots; bottom longlines).

3.00The fishing method does little damage to physical or biogenic habitats (e.g., hand picking; hand raking; hook and line; pelagic long lines; mid-water trawl or gillnet; purse seines).

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)
-0.25Habitat for this species is so compromised from non-fishery impacts that the ability of the habitat to support this species is substantially reduced (e.g., dams; pollution; coastal development).

-0.25Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are not protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc.

In September 2000, a federal court ruling determined that habitat provisions required for U.S. fisheries were not being met for New England fisheries (World Catch 2001).

-0.25No efforts are being made to minimize damage from existing gear types OR new or modified gear is increasing habitat damage (e.g., fitting trawls with roller rigs or rockhopping gear; more robust gear for deep-sea fisheries).

Insufficient effort has been made to reduce habitat degradation from trawl gear, however the trend in management is moving toward better regulations protecting the whole ecosystem. The US amended their management framework for the New England groundfish fisheries to mitigate adverse impacts to habitat by reducing fishing effort, modifying areas closed to groundfish fishing, and expanding the types of fishing gears prohibited in closed areas to include clam dredges (US New England Fishery Management Council, 2003). Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan (May 2004) reduced the diameter of trawl rope gear to less than 12 inches, required specific mesh sizes to be used to reduce bycatch, and added areas closed to bottom trawls to Georges Bank area. Points were subtracted because significant habitat damage from otter trawling still occurs.

-0.25If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is very slow (e.g., deep water corals; rocky bottoms).

+0.25Habitat for this species remains robust and viable and is capable of supporting this species.

+0.25Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc.

+0.25Gear innovations are being implemented over a majority of the fishing area to minimize damage from gear types OR no innovations necessary because gear effects are minimal.

+0.25If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is fast (e.g., mud or sandy bottoms) OR gear effects are minimal.


0.50Points for Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts

Management

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the current management of the fisheries of this species.

1.00Regulations are ineffective (e.g., illegal fishing or overfishing is occurring) OR the fishery is unregulated (i.e., no control rules are in effect).

2.00Management measures are in place over a major portion over the species' range but implementation has not met conservation goals OR management measures are in place but have not been in place long enough to determine if they are likely to achieve conservation and sustainability goals.

U.S. Atlantic Cod populations are managed together with other groundfish species under established fishery management plans consistent with the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act and other applicable laws. New England fisheries are managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Management measures include permits, time/area closures, gear restrictions, minimum size limits, and trip limits.

Canadian populations are also managed under integrated multispecies groundfish fishery management plans, consistent with national policies provided by the Oceans Act, the Fisheries Act, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act and other applicable laws. The federal government is currently undertaking a major revision of its fishery policy. Management measures include limited entry, catch quotas, bycatch allowances, seasonal and area closures, minimum size restrictions, gear restrictions, and harvest moratoria.

Despite management measures throughout its range, Atlantic Cod biomass is at a very low level thus a score of 2 was awarded.

3.00Substantial management measures are in place over a large portion of the species range and have demonstrated success in achieving conservation and sustainability goals.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)
-0.25There is inadequate scientific monitoring of stock status, catch or fishing effort.

-0.25Management does not explicitly address fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act was passed in 2006, updating both the Sustainable Fisheries Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Act of 1996. This Act introduced new legal requirements for fishery management; such as mandatory annual catch limits, federal permit requirements, etc., aimed at ending overfishing in the US by 2011. Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (May 2004) aimed at addressing problems related to fishery adverse effects on habitat, but these measures are considered by some conservationists to be inadequate (Zeman 2004).

-0.25This species is overfished and no recovery plan or an ineffective recovery plan is in place.

The Gulf of Maine population has been removed from the overfished list, but overfishing is still occurring. The Georges Bank population is still listed as overfished, with overfishing still occurring. Both populations are managed by the US, with Canada sharing management over a portion of the Georges Bank population, the Eastern Georges Bank cod management unit. Despite the removal of the Gulf of Maine population from the overfished list, the other populations have shown no significant sign of improvement, therefore points were subtracted.

-0.25Management has failed to reduce excess capacity in this fishery or implements subsidies that result in excess capacity in this fishery.

+0.25There is adequate scientific monitoring, analysis and interpretation of stock status, catch and fishing effort.

The U.S. and Canadian Atlantic Cod populations are well monitored and monitoring of catch and fishing effort is adequate.

+0.25Management explicitly and effectively addresses fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems.

+0.25This species is overfished and there is a recovery plan (including benchmarks, timetables and methods to evaluate success) in place that is showing signs of success OR recovery plan is not needed.

+0.25Management has taken action to control excess capacity or reduce subsidies that result in excess capacity OR no measures are necessary because fishery is not overcapitalized.


1.75Points for Management

Bycatch

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the current level of bycatch and the consequences that result from fishing this species. The term, "bycatch" used in this document excludes incidental catch of a species for which an adequate management framework exists. The terms, "endangered, threatened, or protected," used in this document refer to species status that is determined by national legislation such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (or another nation's equivalent), the IUCN Red List, or a credible scientific body such as the American Fisheries Society.

1.00Bycatch in this fishery is high (>100% of targeted landings), OR regularly includes a "threatened, endangered or protected species."

2.00Bycatch in this fishery is moderate (10-99% of targeted landings) AND does not regularly include "threatened, endangered or protected species" OR level of bycatch is unknown.

Estimates of discarded catch vary between fishing regions. One report (O’Brien et al. 2008) estimates the range of discarded catch in Georges Bank is 0.2-22% of the kept catch, while another report estimates the discard catch in the Gulf of Maine at 7-190% of the kept catch (Mayo el al. 2009). Because of this great variation, a middle score of 2 was awarded.

3.00Bycatch in this fishery is low (<10% of targeted landings) and does not regularly include "threatened, endangered or protected species."

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)
-0.25Bycatch in this fishery is a contributing factor to the decline of "threatened, endangered, or protected species" and no effective measures are being taken to reduce it.

Canada has listed the Winter Skate as endangered/threatened, largely due to bycatch rates from the Atlantic Cod fishery (COSEWIC 2005).

-0.25Bycatch of targeted or non-targeted species (e.g., undersize individuals) in this fishery is high and no measures are being taken to reduce it.

-0.25Bycatch of this species (e.g., undersize individuals) in other fisheries is high OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, and no measures are being taken to reduce it.

-0.25The continued removal of the bycatch species contributes to its decline.

+0.25Measures taken over a major portion of the species range have been shown to reduce bycatch of "threatened, endangered, or protected species" or bycatch rates are no longer deemed to affect the abundance of the "protected" bycatch species OR no measures needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear).

+0.25There is bycatch of targeted (e.g., undersize individuals) or non-targeted species in this fishery and measures (e.g., gear modifications) have been implemented that have been shown to reduce bycatch over a large portion of the species range OR no measures are needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear).

+0.25Bycatch of this species in other fisheries is low OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, but effective measures are being taken to reduce it over a large portion of the range.

+0.25The continued removal of the bycatch species in the targeted fishery has had or will likely have little or no impact on populations of the bycatch species OR there are no significant bycatch concerns because the fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear).


1.75Points for Bycatch

Reference

A/F Protein (AFP). 2002 (online). Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua. Available at http://www.afprotein.com.

Associated Press. 2002. Federal Court Rules on Fish Mandate. 4 January.

Blough, H. 2002. Subsidizing the Rise, Fall, and Recovery of the New England Groundfish Fishery: Lessons Learned (draft).

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Eastern Georges Bank Cod 2009. Most recent stock assessments can be found at http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/trac/tsr.html

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2001a. Northern (2J+3KL) Cod. DFO Science Stock Status Report A2-01 (2001).

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2001b. Eastern Georges Bank Cod. DFO Science Stock Status Report A3-04 (2001). http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/trac/tsr.html

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2001c. Subdivision 3Ps cod. DFO Science Stock Status Report A2-02 (2001).

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2001d. Cod in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Science Stock Status Report A3-01 (2001).

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2000a (online). Underwater World: Atlantic Cod. Available at http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/zone/underwater_sous-marin/atlantic/acod_e.htm.

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). 2000b. Cod on the Southern Scotian Shelf and in the Bay of Fundy (Div. 4X/5Y). DFO Science Stock Status Report A3-05 (2000).

Center for Marine Conservation (CMC). 1999. Missing the Boat: An evaluation of fishery management council response to the Sustainable Fisheries Act. January.

COSEWIC, 2003. Species at Risk Act. Atlantic Cod assessment.
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=762

COSEWIC 2005. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the winter skate Leucoraja ocellata in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atlantic_cod.htm

Drinkwater, K. F. 2005. The response of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to future climate change. e ICES Journal of Marine Science, 62: 1327-1337.

Federal Fisheries Investment Task Force (FFITF). 1999 (online). Report to Congress, July. Available at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/ITF.html.

Hutchings, J.A. 2001. Conservation biology of marine fishes: perceptions and caveats regarding assignment of extinction risk. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58: 108¨C121.

Hutchings, J.A. 2005 Life history consequences of overexploitation to population recovery in Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 62:824-832.

International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). 2000 (online). ACFM (Advisory Committee on Fishery Management) Report 2000. Icelandic cod (Division Va). Available online at: http://www.ices.dk/committe/acfm/comwork/report/2000/contents.html.

International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. .

Mayo RK, Shepherd G, O’Brien L, Col LA, Traver, M. 2009. The 2008 assessment of the Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stock. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 09-03; 128 p. Available from: National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026, or online at http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/)

Mayo, R.K.; Terceiro, M., editors. 2005. Assessment of 19 Northeast groundfish stocks through 2004. 2005 Groundfish Assessment Review Meeting (2005 GARM), Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 15-19 August 2005. U.S. Dep. Commer., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 05-13; 499 p. Available from: National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026.

Mayo, R and O’Brien, L. NEFSC, Resource and Assessment Division. 2006. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern US. http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/pg/cod/

McLean, R. and Tysban, A. 2001. ‘Coastal Zones and Marine Ecosystems’, in McCarthy, J. Canziani, O. Leary, N. Dokken, D. White, K. (eds) 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation & Vulnerability. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 343-379.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 1999b. Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, Life History and Habitat Characteristics. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-124. September.

National Research Council. 2002.

New England Fishery Management Council. 2003. Final Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan Including a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. Newburyport, MA, USA.

O'Brien, L., K.Clark, N.Shepherd, M.Traver, J.Tang, and B.Holmes 2008. A.Georges Bank cod. 2008. In Assessment of 19 Northeast groundfish stocks through 2007: A report of the 3rd Groundfish Assessment Review Meeting (GARM III), Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, August 4-8, 2008. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent Ref. Doc. 08-15. [available at http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd0815/garm3a.pdf] 70p

O’Brien, L; Shepherd, N; Col, L.A. 2006. Assessment of the Georges Bank Atlantic cod stock for 2005. U.S. Dep. Commer., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 06-10; 148 p. Available from: National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). 1999a. Status of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery through 1999 and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 2000: Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation, October.

Sharpe, DMT and Hendry AP. 2009. Life history change in commercially exploited fish stocks: an analysis of trends across studies. Evolutionary Applications. 2:260-275

Shelton, PA, et al. 2006. Fishing under low productivity conditions is further delaying recovery of Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 63: 235-238

Swain, DP; Sinclair, AF; Hanson, JM. 2007. Evolutionary response to size-selectivity mortality in an exploited fish population. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 274:1015-1022.

Tallack, SML. 2009. Regional growth estimates of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua: Applications of the maximum likelihood GROTAG model to tagging data in the Gulf of Maine (USA/Canada) region. Fisheries Research 99:137-150.

Trippel, E.A. 1998. Egg size and viability and seasonal offspring production of young Atlantic cod. Tran. Am. Fish. Soc. 127: 339-359.

U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 2001 (online). Second Technical Consultation on the Suitability of the Cites Criteria for Listing Commercially-Exploited Aquatic Species: A Background Analysis and Framework for Evaluating the Status of Commercially-Exploited Aquatic Species in a Cites Context. Windhoek, Namibia, 22-25 October. Available online at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/003/Y1455E.htm.

World Catch. 2001. NMFS seeks to minimize impact of fishing gear on habitat. Environmentalists' lawsuit pushes agency to re-evaluate. 9 December 2001.

Fish Key

Species is relatively abundant, and fishing/farming methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.
Species has medium to high levels of abundance, or fishing/farming methods cause some damage to the environment.
Some problems exist with this species' status or catch/farming methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.
Species abundance is generally low, or fishing/farming methods typically have large environmental impact.
Species has a combination of problems such as overfishing, high bycatch, and poor management; or farming methods have serious environmental impacts.
A fishery targeting this species has been certified as sustainable and well managed to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard. Learn more at www.msc.org.
These fish contain levels of mercury or PCBs that may pose a health risk to adults and children. Please refer to http://www.edf.org/seafood for more details.