Research Document - 2006/044
Management strategies for recovery of northern cod
By Shelton, P.A.
Abstract
Current management plans for depleted cod stocks in the Canadian portion of the Northwest Atlantic do not contain specific recovery strategies. This paper suggests a recovery strategy based on achieving 5% spawner biomass growth per annum. Only TAC options with a very low risk (<0.1) of not achieving this level of biomass growth would be considered under this recovery strategy. Application of this approach in short-term projections of the inshore component of northern cod gives TAC options>0. However, long-term projections suggest little or no rebuilding of the stock as a whole under current natural mortality rates even with no fishing. If cod currently inshore have a tendency to move to the offshore and successfully spawn there, and there is a decline in mortality rate, then the inshore could make a substantial contribution to recovery of northern cod.
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