Not Just Overfishing - Higher Water Temps Threaten To End Cod Reproduction
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Two decades ago, cod numbers were such that the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended fishing up to 32,000 tonnes in the Faroe Shelf. This year, populations are so small the council has advised no fishing for two years. Faroese cod is not the only species of the fish that is suffering: all over the world, numbers are reaching critical lows. There are approximately 20 distinct cod populations in the north Atlantic, yet only two are plentiful: one in the Barents Sea and the other Icelandic.
Historically, overfishing was the main reason cod numbers plummeted. But now, scientists warn that warming waters are having dire effects on their ability to reproduce. Indeed, some worry that the climate emergency will make it impossible for certain cod populations to fully recover. The fuss about cod is not simply economic or biological but also because the fish has such cultural value, according to Tara Marshall, senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and co-author of a paper on how the climate crisis is affecting cod.
Cod is arguably one of the most culturally important fish in the western world. It is not only the basis of one of Britain’s favourite dishes; Mark Kurlansky, author of a book on the species, claims it fuelled the Viking conquerers and was a catalyst in world wars. Fishers from the Basque Country found the Americas before Columbus, Kurlansky believes, because they were looking for cod in Newfoundland.
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Once caught, cod is transported around the world. But when alive, the fish is loyal to local grounds: Faroese cod spawn and live within the Faroe Shelf; Icelandic cod within Icelandic waters. The species do not interact, and the climate crisis affects them differently. “The southernmost stocks – the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea and the southern North Sea – are already struggling,” says Huse. Even in the Barents Sea, where the water temperature is good for cod spawning, there is a worrying trend. Numbers peaked in 2013 and have been declining since, as juvenile fish fail to replenish the population. “There has never been such low productivity with such a great spawning stock,” says Huse, who speculates that the ecosystem in the Barents Sea must be affecting the fish. Katie Longo, principal scientist at the Marine Stewardship Council, which sets the benchmark for sustainable fisheries, is also worried about the prospects for cod in colder waters. “The expectation is in the future there might be issues with prey availability and eventually probably also with reproductive potential that we’re not seeing yet,” she says.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/27/too-little-too-late-the-desperate-search-for-cod-babies
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