Journal article
Eastern Baltic cod in distress: biological changes and challenges for stock assessment
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark1
Kiel University2
Section for Monitoring and Data, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark3
Section for Ecosystem based Marine Management, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark4
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences5
Section for Marine Ecology and Oceanography, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark6
Lund University7
University of Skövde8
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea9
Institute Management, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark10
Johann Heinrich von Thunen Institute11
...and 1 moreThe eastern Baltic (EB) cod (Gadus morhua) stock was depleted and overexploited for decades until the mid-2000s, when fishing mortality rapidly declined and biomass started to increase, as shown by stock assessments. These positive developments were partly assigned to effective management measures, and the EB cod was considered one of the most successful stock recoveries in recent times.
In contrast to this optimistic view, the analytical stock assessment failed in 2014, leaving the present stock status unclear. Deteriorated quality of some basic input data for stock assessment in combination with changes in environmental and ecological conditions has led to an unusual situation for cod in the Baltic Sea, which poses new challenges for stock assessment and management advice.Anumber of adverse developments such as low nutritional condition and disappearance of larger individuals indicate that the stock is in distress.
In this study, we (i) summarize the knowledge of recent changes in cod biology and ecosystem conditions, (ii) describe the subsequent challenges for stock assessment, and (iii) highlight the key questions where answers are urgently needed to understand the present stock status and provide scientifically solid support for cod management in the Baltic Sea
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Year: | 2015 |
Pages: | 2180-2186 |
ISSN: | 10959289 and 10543139 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1093/icesjms/fsv109 |
ORCIDs: | 0000-0002-2747-237X , Eero, Margit , Behrens, Jane , Hüssy, Karin , Köster, Fritz , Vinther, Morten and Storr-Paulsen, Marie |