Cod Spawning Grounds at Newfoundland During Periods of Low Abundance: 1978–91 Russian Survey Data

• Main Authors: O. V. Gerasimova, V. M. Kiseleva
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Key words; atlantic cod; distribution; Newfoundland area; Funk Island; Funk Island Bank; Gadus morhua; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.560.9766; http://archive.nafo.int/open/studies/s27/gerasimova.pdf

This paper analyses survey data on distribution of prespawning cod (Gadus morhua) at different maturity stages in spring and summer in Div. 3KLNO. Under conditions of significant cod stock reductions observed in all the surveyed areas since 1970, mass cod spawning in Div. 3LNO was observed mainly on the Shelf, in the coastal areas of Newfoundland. It was concurrently observed that spawning on the Grand Bank slopes had diminished almost completely. In Div. 3K, cod spawning was observed both in the western coastal area, and in the eastern area Funk Island Bank. Based on these analyses recorded and literature data on prespawning cod distribution and their maturation dynamics, localization of cod spawning grounds on the Newfoundland Shelf in the period of sharp stock reduction is suggested.