The North Sea cod becomes sexually mature at an age between three and five years. Spawning takes place from December to April throughout much of the North Sea with a number of local spawning aggregations. It is not yet possible to quantify long-term changes in the use of spawning grounds but limited data available do suggest a contraction of significant spawning areas, beginning with the loss of sites at the Great Fisher Bank and Aberdeen Bank by the 1980s, and more recently other coastal spawning sites around Scotland and in the Forties area.
Fishery – mixed demersal fisheries
Over the last 40 years, average annual landings have been 185 000 tonnes. Reported landings in 2006 were 26 800 tonnes, the discard was estimated to be 8 100 tonnes and other catches is estimated to be 9 000 tonnes. Total removals are thus estimated to be 43 900 tonnes. Cod is taken by towed gears in mixed demersal fisheries, which include haddock, whiting, Nephrops, plaice and sole. They are also taken in directed fisheries using fixed gears. Norway has 17% of the total allowable catch. In 2006, 38% of the Norwegian catch was taken by gillnet, 20% by long line, 30% was by-catch in the trawl fishery and 12% was taken by other gears.
Regulations vs discards and unreported landings
Assessment estimates and reports from some fisheries indicate that quota restrictions have not been effective in controlling the catch of cod. Since 1992, quotas have been set by managers to substantially reduce catches and have been accompanied by an increasing number of technical measures (now 120 mm mesh size in towed gears). Since 2003, effort limitations have been imposed on the EU fisheries targeting cod. These measures were intended to reduce catches and discarding. However, effort restrictions in the smaller mesh size fisheries, which have significant discards, have been less stringent. It is estimated that discards and unreported landings constitute 35 to 50% of the recorded landings.
In Norwegian waters, the minimum catching size is 30 cm, while EU has a minimum landing size of 35 cm (40 cm in Denmark). There is no minimum catching size in EU waters. As a result, fishers in EU waters discard undersized fish and over quota fish.
Stock status and setting of quotas
This stock is in a very poor condition. The spawning stock is well below the precautionary limit of 70 000 tonnes. The 2000-2004 year classes are all estimated to be below average. The 2005 year class is estimated to be more abundant, but below average levels.
In 1999, EU and Norway agreed on a management plan, and in 2004, the European Council adopted a recovery plan. ICES has evaluated the recovery plan and concluded that a precautionary recovery plan must include an adaptive element implying that fisheries for cod remain closed until an initial recovery of the cod spawning stock biomass has been proven. Such an element is not included in the existing plan. ICES therefore considers the recovery plan not to be consistent with the precautionary approach.