Atlantic Cod Research Track
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are a benthopelagic fish whose range in the northwestern Atlantic extends from Greenland to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with the majority of biomass in United States waters in the western Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GBK) regions (Fahay, Michael P. and Northeast Fisheries Science Center (U.S.) 1999). Changes in ocean conditions have been documented to affect key life history processes, including recruitment, distribution, and growth of Atlantic cod. The historical productivity of cod fisheries has been high, but has experienced substantial population declines since the 1990s. Including ecosystem variables in stock assessments may lead to more precautionary advice (CAUSES 2019; Lynch et al 2018). To help achieve more sustainable fisheries management, these climate and ecosystem shifts should be closely tracked and considered. Therefore, it is important to explore the ways in which ecosystem and climate changes are affecting distributions, stock dynamics, and other life history characteristics of species such as cod in the GOM and GBK regions. Understanding how cod respond to ecological and climate drivers will likely help to reduce uncertainties related to estimates of stock size and composition. These benefits may help to better inform or improve management. The NCLIM framework will be leveraged to integrate climate considerations into the research track stock assessment process for Atlantic cod.
Project Goals:
Identify key climate drivers for Atlantic Cod and proposed links to stock dynamics
Develop and test candidate assessments using the NCLIM framework in collaboration with the Atlantic Cod Assessment Working Group (WG)
Compare candidate and status quo assessments (Woods Hole Assessment Model code available here)
Share findings with WG members and synthesize climate context for WG report (TOR1)
Key climate-informed products and working papers:
Behan et al. 2022. Ecosystem Profile of Atlantic cod. Working paper prepared for the Atlantic Cod Research Track Stock Assessment.
Behan, J. 2023. Ecosystem Influences on Atlantic Cod Stock Dynamics. Working paper prepared for ToR 1 in the Atlantic Cod Research Track Stock Assessment.
Kerr, L., Behan, J. 2023. Defining Projections and Biological Reference points. for Atlantic Cod in a Changing Ecosystem. Working paper prepared for ToR 5 in the Atlantic Cod Research Track Stock Assessment.
Hart, A. and Kerr, L. 2023. Assessment model development for the Georges Bank Atlantic cod stock. Working paper prepared for ToR 4 in the Atlantic Cod Research track Stock Assessment.
Find the code:
Cod WG 2023: This repository houses code and data used in the development of stock assessment models for Atlantic cod in support of the Atlantic Cod Research Track Stock Assessment Working Group
Cod Environmental Drivers: Repository for exploration of environmental effects on Atlantic Cod in support of 2022-2023 research track stock assessment