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| Marine Resource Fact Sheet |
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| Atlantic Cod - Grand Bank |
| | Data Ownership | | This document provided, maintained and owned by Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) , is part of NAFO Summary Sheets data collection. |
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| Related observations | Locate in inventory | | | | Species: | | FAO Names: en - Atlantic cod, fr - Morue de l'Atlantique, es - Bacalao del Atlántico, zh - 大西洋鳕, ru - Треска атлантическая |
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| Geographic extent of Atlantic Cod - Grand Bank Map tips - Click on
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| FAO Fishing Statistical Division Areas |
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| 21.3.N | Atlantic, Northwest / 21.3.N |
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| 21.3.O | Atlantic, Northwest / 21.3.O |
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| Main Descriptors | Considered a single stock: Yes Spatial Scale: Regional
Management unit: Yes Reference year: 2017
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| Considered a single stock: A group of individuals in a species occupying a well defined spatial range independent of other stocks of the same species. It can be affected by random dispersal movements and directed migrations due to seasonal or reproductive activity. |
| Spatial Scale: Spatial scale contains a standard term such as Global, Regional (e.g. for the whole Atlantic), sub-regional (e.g. for a part of the Atlantic), national, local (for sub-national levels). |
| Considered a management unit: An aquatic resource or fishery is declared as [Fishery] Management Unit if it is effectively the focus for the application of selected management methods and measures, within the broader framework of a management system. According to the FAO Glossary for Responsible Fishing, "a Fishery Management Unit (FMU) is a fishery or a portion of a fishery identified in a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) relevant to the FMP's management objectives." FMU's may be organised around fisheries biological, geographic, economic, technical, social or ecological dimensions , and the makeup and attribute of a fishery management unit depends mainly on the FMP's management objectives. |
| Jurisdictional distribution: Jurisdictional qualifier (e.g. "shared", "shared - highly migratory") of the aquatic resource related with its spatial distribution. |
| Environmental group: Classification of the aquatic resource according to the environmental group (e.g. pelagic invertebrate, or demersal fish) to which the species belong. |
| Reference Year: The Reference Year is the last year considered in the stock assessment and/or fishery status. |
| | | | | | Biological State and Trend The spawning biomass increased noticeably between 2010 and 2015 but has subsequently declined and the 2018 estimate of 18,537 t represents only 31% of B lim (60,000 t). The 2006 year class remains relatively strong and at age 12 in 2018 makes up more than half of the estimated SSB. Subsequent year classes are much weaker, suggesting that the medium-term prospects for the stock are not good. Fishing mortality values over the past decade have been low and well below F lim (0.3). Habitat and Biology Climatic zone: Temperate. Bottom type: Unspecified. Depth zone: Slope - Deepslope (500 m - 1000 m). Horizontal distribution: Neritic. Vertical distribution: Demersal/Benthic. Geographical Distribution Jurisdictional distribution: Straddling between High Seas and EEZ Geo References  | | Geographic extent of Atlantic Cod - Grand Bank
| FAO Fishing Statistical Division Areas | 21.3.N: Atlantic, Northwest / 21.3.N | | 21.3.O: Atlantic, Northwest / 21.3.O |
| | | | | | Intersecting Major FAO areas and LME areas |
The following area codes have been found as intersecting the distribution of Atlantic Cod - Grand Bank Resource Structure Considered a single stock: Yes Exploitation A moratorium was implemented in 1994. Catches since that time are by-catch in other fisheries. Recent catch estimates and TACs (‘000 tonnes) are: | | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | | TAC | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | ndf | | STATLANT 21 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | | | STACFIS | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | | ndf: No directed fishery Effects of the fishery on the ecosystemAssessment Overall Assessment Results Reference Point B lim: 60 000 t of spawning biomass (SC, 1999) F lim (=F msy):0.3 (SC, 2011). Projection A decision was made to not project the stock forward because the 2006 year class, which in 2018 is age 12 and makes up more than half of the estimated SSB, will no longer be part of the virtual population starting in 2019. This is a limitation of the current model formulation which ends at age 12 (i.e. there is no plus group) and any attempt to project the stock forward would be characterized by the ‘artificial’ removal of this strong year class from the population. Revising the assessment model to incorporate a plus group is considered of high priority for this assessment going forward. Although projections of the stock were not performed, the poor strength of year classes subsequent to 2006 suggests that the medium-term prospects for the stock are not good. Assessment Model Analytical assessment Results A sequential population analysis model was used, and the results were consistent with the previous assessment. Input data comes from research surveys and commercial removals. The next assessment is planned for 2021. Fishing MortalityBiomassRecruitmentHuman impactMainly bycatch related fishery mortality has been documented. Other sources (e.g. pollution, shipping, oil-industry) are undocumented. Biological and environmental interactionsProductivity of this stock was above average during the warm 1960s. During the cold 1990s, productivity was very low and surplus production was near zero. The Grand Bank (3LNO) EPU is currently experiencing low productivity conditions and biomass has declined across multiple trophic levels and stocks since 2014. Scientific Advice Special comments Management Management unit: Yes Management Advice Recommendation for 2019 -2021No directed fishing in 2019 to 2021 to allow for stock rebuilding. By-catches of cod in fisheries targeting other species should be kept at the lowest possible level. Projections of the stock were not performed, but given the poor strength of all year classes subsequent to 2006, the stock will not reach Blim in the next three years. Management Objectives General convention objectives are applied in conjunction with an Interim Conservation Plan and Rebuilding Strategy adopted in 2011 (NAFO/FC Doc. 11/22). The long-term objective of this plan is to achieve and to maintain the spawning stock biomass in the “safe zone” of the NAFO PA framework (FC Doc. 04/18), and at or near B msy. The stock occurs in Divs. 3NO, with fish occupying shallow parts of the bank, particularly the southeast shoal area (Div. 3N) in summer and on the slopes of the bank in winter. Source of information Report of the Meeting, 01 -14 June, 2018 - SCS Doc. 18/19. |
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