ALARM OVER REDUCTION OF LARGE COD
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Both Swedish and Norwegian researchers fear that over fishing is to blame for the reduction of large coastal cod.
Gunn Hedberg
Reasearcher Jakob Gjøsæter at the Flødevigen reasaerche senter in Arendal has just finished a study of coastal cod living in the seas between Sweden and Denmark. They have traced their catch records taken fifteen years earlier. In particular areas the results were alarming
It was concluded after three days of netting that both yearlings and mature god have all but disappeared. A disappointing average of 350 grams clearly indicates that over fishing has had a dramatic effect on the local cod numbers. Nets were placed at a number of different locations, Hvasser, Jomfruland, Lillesand and Arendal. These areas have shown good results but the large fish don’t seem to be in these areas in any great numbers.
Both hobby and professional fishermen are to blame. Extensive over fishing from both sides has lead to an interesting situation. All the areas studied showed great results with young cod but fish over 30 cm long have disappeared. A corralation between ares that have large number of eel fishermen. He has claimed that a large number of eel traps are having a large effect on the smaller cod. These fish taken in traps are either left to die or miss-handled to the point that they have little chance of survival.
For the article read WWW. DEMOKRATEN.OF.NO/51/03/93/6.HTMI