Spawning Dynamics and Associated Management Implications for Atlantic Cod

Abstract

AbstractMany stocks of Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua have been depleted due to interactions between overfishing and environmental variation. Stock declines were often accompanied by reductions in spawning diversity and collapses of population structure. Studying Atlantic Cod spawning activity can provide insights into the mechanisms involved in rebuilding. This paper reviews the existing literature on Atlantic Cod spawning dynamics, including habitat, timing, behavior, gamete production, larval survivorship, and fishery impacts. The associated implications for fisheries management are discussed, and critical information gaps are identified for inclusion in future research. Of primary importance for consideration by fisheries managers are the spatial and temporal extent of spawning, the behavior of spawners, and the reproductive contributions of older age‐classes. The application of spawning closures as part of a multidisciplinary approach to fisheries management is advocated to prevent the disruption of spawning activity and the extirpation of semidiscrete spawning components. Integrating information on Atlantic Cod spawning dynamics into fisheries management plans will better account for reproductive processes, which is expected to promote rebuilding and decrease the risk of further collapses of population structure.Received August 22, 2013; accepted December 17, 2013