The Stock Structure Of Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua) In West Greenland Waters: Implications Of Transport And Migration

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.

Atlantic cod in West Greenland water has shown large variations in abundance and distribution in the past decades. Strong year-classes gave good catches in both inshore and offshore areas in the late 1980s. Since then cod has been nearly absent in the offshore area and the inshore fishery remained at a low level, although a small increase in inshore landings is evident the last years. Links between the different stock components are not well understood, in particular it is not known to what extent strong year classes of Icelandic origin contribute to the biomass in the inshore areas or whether recruitment to the inshore components is solely due to local spawning. The present study reviews survey information on the distribution of eggs, juveniles and adults as well as tagging experiments conducted in West Greenland inshore, coastal and offshore waters. Thereby, the importance of transport and migration for the recovery of a sustainable cod fishery in West Greenland waters is investigated.