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Potential collapse of North Sea cod stocks

Author

Listed:
  • R. M. Cook

    (SOAEFD Marine Laboratory)

  • A. Sinclair

    (Gulf Fisheries Centre)

  • G. Stefánsson

    (Marine Research Institute)

Abstract

In common with many fish stocks in the North Sea, cod are heavily exploited with as much as 60% of the fishable stock being removed annually1. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which advises fishery managers on the state of fish stocks in the northeast Atlantic, has recommended that exploitation rates be reduced considerably and immediately, in order to prevent further stock decline1. We examine the most recent ICES assessment of the North Sea cod stock1 to see if the present exploitation regimen is sustainable. Our analysis suggests that not only is the present exploitation rate unsustainable, but that even regimens close to the maximum sustainable yield may be potentially prone to risk. There is a need for swift and effective action to protect the stock and avoid the problems of the much publicized collapse of cod stocks off the coast of Atlantic Canada2,3.

Suggested Citation

  • R. M. Cook & A. Sinclair & G. Stefánsson, 1997. "Potential collapse of North Sea cod stocks," Nature, Nature, vol. 385(6616), pages 521-522, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:385:y:1997:i:6616:d:10.1038_385521a0
    DOI: 10.1038/385521a0
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    Cited by:

    1. Bowen Zhang & Heidi Pethybridge & Patti Virtue & Peter D. Nichols & Kerrie Swadling & Alan Williams & Kim Lee-Chang, 2023. "Evaluating Alternative and Sustainable Food Resources: A Review of the Nutritional Composition of Myctophid Fishes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, August.
    2. Cabral, Reniel B. & Aliño, Porfirio M. & Lim, May T., 2013. "A coupled stock-recruitment-age-structured model of the North Sea cod under the influence of depensation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-8.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Hossain, Md. Monir & Matsuishi, Takashi & Arhonditsis, George, 2010. "Elucidation of ecosystem attributes of an oligotrophic lake in Hokkaido, Japan, using Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(13), pages 1717-1730.

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