TY - JOUR
T1 - Eastern Baltic cod in distress
T2 - biological changes and challenges for stock assessment
AU - Eero, Margit
AU - Hjelm, Joakim
AU - Behrens, Jane
AU - Buchmann, Kurt
AU - Cardinale, Massimiliano
AU - Casini, Michele
AU - Gasyukov, Pavel
AU - Holmgren, Noél
AU - Horbowy, Jan
AU - Hüssy, Karin
AU - Kirkegaard, Eskild
AU - Kornilovs, Georgs
AU - Krumme, Uwe
AU - Köster, Friedrich W.
AU - Oeberst, Rainer
AU - Plikshs, Maris
AU - Radtke, Krzysztof
AU - Raid, Tiit
AU - Schmidt, Jörn
AU - Tomczak, Maciej T.
AU - Vinther, Morten
AU - Zimmermann, Christopher
AU - Storr-Paulsen, Marie
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - The eastern Baltic (EB) cod (Gadus morhua) stock was depleted and overexploited for decades until the mid-2000s, when fishing mortality rapidly declined and biomass started to increase, as shown by stock assessments. These positive developments were partly assigned to effective management measures, and the EB cod was considered one of the most successful stock recoveries in recent times. In contrast to this optimistic view, the analytical stock assessment failed in 2014, leaving the present stock status unclear. Deteriorated quality of some basic input data for stock assessment in combination with changes in environmental and ecological conditions has led to an unusual situation for cod in the Baltic Sea, which poses new challenges for stock assessment and management advice.Anumber of adverse developments such as low nutritional condition and disappearance of larger individuals indicate that the stock is in distress. In this study, we (i) summarize the knowledge of recent changes in cod biology and ecosystem conditions, (ii) describe the subsequent challenges for stock assessment, and (iii) highlight the key questions where answers are urgently needed to understand the present stock status and provide scientifically solid support for cod management in the Baltic Sea.
AB - The eastern Baltic (EB) cod (Gadus morhua) stock was depleted and overexploited for decades until the mid-2000s, when fishing mortality rapidly declined and biomass started to increase, as shown by stock assessments. These positive developments were partly assigned to effective management measures, and the EB cod was considered one of the most successful stock recoveries in recent times. In contrast to this optimistic view, the analytical stock assessment failed in 2014, leaving the present stock status unclear. Deteriorated quality of some basic input data for stock assessment in combination with changes in environmental and ecological conditions has led to an unusual situation for cod in the Baltic Sea, which poses new challenges for stock assessment and management advice.Anumber of adverse developments such as low nutritional condition and disappearance of larger individuals indicate that the stock is in distress. In this study, we (i) summarize the knowledge of recent changes in cod biology and ecosystem conditions, (ii) describe the subsequent challenges for stock assessment, and (iii) highlight the key questions where answers are urgently needed to understand the present stock status and provide scientifically solid support for cod management in the Baltic Sea.
U2 - 10.1093/icesjms/fsv109
DO - 10.1093/icesjms/fsv109
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1054-3139
VL - 72
SP - 2180
EP - 2186
JO - ICES Journal of Marine Science
JF - ICES Journal of Marine Science
IS - 8
ER -