Spindrift
Ambitious Cod Tagging Program About to Enter 2nd Year
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute, based in Portland, Maine,
is coordinating a Cod tagging effort throughout the Northwest
Atlantic waters. Cod will be caught using Lobster traps, Otter
trawls and by hook and line commercial and party (head) boats.
Fishermen and scientists are working together to improve our
understanding of the cod resource throughout New England and
Southern Canada. Tagging began in March of 2003 and will
continue till March of 2005 with the aim of tagging more than
100,000 cod. While cod will be tagged year-round; most tagging
will be done between November and March of each year. Tagging is
being done in-shore and offshore within the Gulf of Maine,
Georges Bank, Southern New England waters and Canadian Maritime
waters. This program is important not only to the cod, but to
all fishermen because:
It involves fishermen in the data collection process of a key
fishery
Improves information on cod throughout the region.
Provides access to information on individual fish movements
identified by this project.
Near real-time mapping of recaptured tagged fish will be
possible online, using State of the art GIS mapping tools.
You can help by reporting all catches of tagged cod:
- tag number
- water temperature
- fish length
- depth fished
- location
- spawning condition
- date
- time
A reward will be offered for
each returned tag and your name will be entered in a lottery!
Look for a yellow T-bar tag just below the dorsal fin. Report
recaptures by: Calling 1-866-447-2111, or email to: cod
research@gma.org
Many questions will be learned by this Cod tagging study:
What movement and migration patterns are evident for Cod?
Is there an inshore-offshore relationship?
Has the distribution, movement and migration changed over the
years?
Does cod movement change according to depth and water
temperatures?
How fast do cod grow in Northwest Atlantic waters?
Where and when do spawning cod appear?
Groups taking part and areas included in this project:
- U. Mass Dartmouth School
for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) tagging on Georges
Bank.
- Cape Cod Commercial Hook
Fishermen's Assn. (CCCHFA) tagging between Block Island,
through the Great South Channel and Stellwagen Bank.
- Maine Department Marine
Resources (DMR) operating north of Stellwagen, in the
Northwest Gulf of Maine, Jeffries Bank & Jordan Basin.
- The Island Institute will
be tagging inshore between Portland and the Canadian Border.
- Canadian Dept. Fisheries &
Oceans (DFO) will be operating in the Bay of Fundy and on
Browns Bank.
For more information visit:
www.codresearch.org or
contact me at:
fishinthecape@aol.com. I will be tagging aboard boats of the
Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Assn. that are taking part
in this program.
Bill Hubbard, March 2004 |
