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Why is the Eastern Baltic cod recovering?

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  • Eero, Margit
  • Köster, Friedrich W.
  • Vinther, Morten

Abstract

The Eastern Baltic cod stock was until recently below safe biological limits and suffered from high fishing pressure. In most recent years, fishing mortality substantially declined and spawner biomass more than tripled. Similar developments have not been observed for any other depleted cod stock in the North Atlantic during the last few decades. This paper investigates relative impacts of changes in different ecological and management-related drivers, which could have contributed to the rapid recovery of the Eastern Baltic cod. The results show that the success to reduce fishing mortality below management target in 2008 was due to a combination of increased recruitment and improved compliance with TAC. The reversal of the negative trend in biomass and rebuilding of the stock to the present level were largely driven by increased recruitment. Harvest control rules of the multi-annual management plan for setting TACs currently maintain the fishing mortality at a low level, which allows the stock to accumulate biomass and further accelerate its recovery. Relatively strong incoming year-classes and recently better control over removals distinguish the Eastern Baltic cod from other depleted European cod stocks, which have not shown similar positive trends in recent years. Sound management measures and compliance to those as well as favourable biological conditions are required for a successful stock recovery.

Suggested Citation

  • Eero, Margit & Köster, Friedrich W. & Vinther, Morten, 2012. "Why is the Eastern Baltic cod recovering?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 235-240, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:marpol:v:36:y:2012:i:1:p:235-240
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sebastian Villasante & David Rodríguez-González & Manel Antelo, 2013. "On the Non-Compliance in the North Sea Cod Stock," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Maciej T Tomczak & Johanna J Heymans & Johanna Yletyinen & Susa Niiranen & Saskia A Otto & Thorsten Blenckner, 2013. "Ecological Network Indicators of Ecosystem Status and Change in the Baltic Sea," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-11, October.
    3. Cecilia Hammarlund, 2015. "The Big, the Bad, and the Average: Hedonic Prices and Inverse Demand for Baltic Cod," Marine Resource Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 30(2), pages 157-177.
    4. Rudi Voss & Martin F Quaas & Jörn O Schmidt & Olli Tahvonen & Martin Lindegren & Christian Möllmann, 2014. "Assessing Social – Ecological Trade-Offs to Advance Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(9), pages 1-8, September.
    5. Isomaa, Marleena & Kaitala, Veijo & Laakso, Jouni, 2014. "Determining the impact of initial age structure on the recovery of a healthy over-harvested population," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 286(C), pages 45-52.

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