August 2, 2014 — The cod population in the Gulf of Maine is plummeting more steeply than previously thought, according a new assessment by the federal agency that monitors the fishing industry.
Underwater surveys conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated that the iconic species has dwindled to as little as 3 percent of what it would take to sustain a healthy population.
That’s down from between 13 and 18 percent in the last assessment, completed in 2011.
“This is pretty dire,” said Russell Brown, deputy science and research director of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the branch of NOAA that did the research.
Making matters worse, he said, is that the latest assessment found very few young fish, reflecting paltry spawning rates. The estimated number of cod in the region is now at an all-time low.
“We’re deeply concerned about the fish stocks, and we’re also deeply concerned about the fishermen and communities that depend on the stock,” Brown said. “I think our findings would lead to recommendations that we need to be very careful about subjecting the stock to any additional fishing mortality.”
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