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Is There a Separate Stock of Atlantic Cod in the Western Side of the Bay of Fundy/
Author(s) -
Hunt J. J.,
Neilson J. D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1993)013<0431:itasso>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - bay , fishery , stock (firearms) , oceanography , atlantic cod , geography , geology , biology , archaeology , gadus , fish <actinopterygii>
Atlantic cod Gadus morhua in the Bay of Fundy are currently managed by Canada as part of a single management unit known as North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) division 4X, although it has long been suspected that many stocks occur in that region. Through analyses of fishery and egg and larval distributions, abundance indices from research vessel surveys, tagging results adjusted for effort, and available literature, we examined the hypothesis that a separate stock of Atlantic cod occurs in the western half of the Bay of Fundy (NAFO unit areas 4Xs and 5Yb). The ichthyoplankton and fishery distribution data supported the hypothesis. In particular, ichthyoplankton data indicated spawning activity in the western side of the Bay of Fundy. The tagging data, however, indicated a high rate of exchange between the east and west sides of the Bay of Fundy. Given such interchange, creation of a separate management unit in the western Bay of Fundy will likely not yield benefits in terms of improved stock assessment.