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Atlantic cod

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General

Cod-like fish

Cod-like fishes belong to the Gadidae family. This includes the Atlantic and Pacific cod, pouting, haddock, whiting, European pollock, Alaska pollock and saithe. They live near the seabed in coastal waters and in deeper waters. During the day, they aggregate in schools. At night, they separate to forage independently. Gadidae are omnivorous fish that feed on worms, molluscs, bivalves, crustaceans and small fish. They migrate over large distances to spawn and to hunt on large schools of herring and smelt.

 

 

Atlantic cod

Atlantic cod can be found in colder waters near to the seabed in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Due to climate change and an increasing water temperature, the distribution range of Atlantic cod stocks are shifting northwards. This species can reach lengths of up to 150 cm and can weigh 40 kilograms. Arctic cod that migrates to the Norwegian coast in the spring, is also called ‘skrei, which is often sold on the Dutch market.  

 

Atlantic cod

Gadus morhua
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Danish seine, Bottom trawls, Pots and traps, Anchored gillnets, Demersal longlines, Handlines and pole-lines

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Explanation assessment

Atlantic cod has been MSCMSC:
Marine Stewardship Council, an independent, international non-profit organization that has developed an eco-label that guarantees well-managed, sustainable fisheries. Fish products that meet the criteria of the eco-label can be identified by the blue MSC logo.
-certified since 2010. Typically, these fisheries catch other MSC-certified species besides cod, such as haddock and pollack. Much of the cod sold on the Dutch market comes from the Barents Sea, Skagerrak or Icelandic waters. Since 2017, much of the North Sea cod was also MSC-certified, but as these stocks collapsed due to overfishing, this MSC certification was withdrawn in 2019. MSC-certified cod are caught using demersalDemersal longline:
A fishing method whereby an anchored long main line (40-100 km long) is expanded, with attached transverse lines with hooks with bait.  
longlines, potspots:
A fishing method in which traps made of chicken wire are baited (fresh or salted fish) which are then placed on the seabed. Species caught this way include crab, lobster, whelk, langoustine and octopus.
and trapsTraps:
Traps are a kind of cages made of, for example, chicken wire that lie on the bottom of the sea. At the front is a net with large holes, which prevents species such as seals and waterfowl from swimming into the cage.
, handlinesHandlines and pole-lines:
A collective name for pole lines, jigs and troll lines. Hand lines and pole lines are used on a small scale most of the time and are relatively selective. unwanted by-catch have a high survival rate because they can be thrown back immediately.  
and pole lines, anchoredanchored gillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish become tangled up in a net with their gills (also known as a gillnet), which is vertically standing on the bottom.
gillnets, bottomBottom trawls:
A fishing technique in which cone-shaped nets terminating in a codend are dragged through the water column or along the bottom.
trawls and DanishDanish seines:
A fishing technique whereby one of the lines of the seine net/pit net is anchored. The ship expands the net with a moving motion and turns off when picking up the net.
seines.

Atlantic cod

Gadus morhua
Origin

Barents Sea, Spitzbergen and Bear Island (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Anchored gillnets, Demersal longlines

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The cod stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
in the northeast Arctic is at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level. However, the biomassBiomass:
Biomass is the mass (weight) of living organisms in an area or ecosystem at the time.
of the stock shows a declining trend and fishing mortalityFishing mortality:
The share of the fish stock that dies annually by fishing. This is the size to which fishing pressure is examined.  
is slowly increasing.

Demersal fisheries with anchoredanchored gillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish become tangled up in a net with their gills (also known as a gillnet), which is vertically standing on the bottom.
gillnets and demersalDemersal longline:
A fishing method whereby an anchored long main line (40-100 km long) is expanded, with attached transverse lines with hooks with bait.  
longlines are likely to cause significant negative ecosystem impacts by interacting with benthic habitats and species. BycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). 
of other species, including endangered and protectedProtected species:
Many marine species are protected from deliberate or intentional disturbance, capture, injury and killing, and in some cases possession or sale. Species are often protected if they play an important role in the ecosystem or are sensitive to fishing. These marine species are protected regardless of whether they are inside or outside marine protected areas.
species, is likely and often documented.

This fishery is well managed and management is in line with both Russia’s and Norway’s fisheries policies. The managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species in this area is effective.

Atlantic cod

Gadus morhua
Origin

Europe (FAO 5)

Farming- / Catch method

Cages (aquaculture)

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Source usage
Impact on the environment
Management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

Cod is a fish with high dietary requirements and FFDRFFDR:
The Forage Fish Dependency Ratio (FFDR) quantifies the environmental impact of aquaculture feed based on the inclusion level of forage fish marine ingredients.  
, indicating that the feed is relatively high in fish mealfish meal:
Fishmeal is, together with fishoil, a very important ingredient used in fishfeed for aquaculture production. Fishmeal is derived from wild-caught fish which are often not caught sustainably.
and fish oilfish oil:
Fishoil is, together with fishmeal, a very important ingredient used in fishfeed for aquaculture production. Fishoil is derived from wild-caught fish which are often not caught sustainably.
. Much research is being done to optimise the feed, where the use of wild fish in the feed has also been reduced. The major feed producers have good documentation and traceability and are third-party certified.

Farming in cagesCages:
A cultivation technique with open cages in the sea, lake or river. They are anchored to the bottom and are standing in places sheltered for storm and high waves. Most salmon is grown in this type of culture system. Because the cages are in open connection with the surrounding water, the impact on the environment is high.
mainly takes place at sea. This type of farming can have a major impact on the ecosystem by releasing residual and waste products directly into the environment. In addition, escapesEscapes:
It may happen that farmed animals escape during the farming process, for example when farming at sea or in rivers. This can lead to genetic mixing between the farmed animals and wild populations and can have negative effects on the growth and fertility of wild animals.
are also known to occur regularly. Both genetic mixing of farmed fish with wild fish and disease transmission can have a major impact on the ecosystem.

The legal framework in producing countries can address most environmental and social problems. ManagementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species is partially effective.

Atlantic cod

Gadus morhua
Origin

Norwegian Sea, Skagerrak, North Sea and eastern Channel (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Bottom trawls, Anchored gillnets

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The cod stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
in this area is currently not at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level. The fishing pressureFishing pressure:
Fishing pressure is a result of the fishing effort/amount of fishing on a stock, which determines the fishing mortality. Fishing mortality is the share of the fish stock that dies annually as a result of fishing.
is still at the upper limit of sustainability and is considered to have a negative impact on the stock structure.

Demersal fisheries with anchoredanchored gillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish become tangled up in a net with their gills (also known as a gillnet), which is vertically standing on the bottom.
gillnets and bottomBottom trawls:
A fishing technique in which cone-shaped nets terminating in a codend are dragged through the water column or along the bottom.
trawls are likely to cause significant negative impacts on the ecosystem by interacting with benthic habitats and species. BycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). 
of other species, including endangered and protectedProtected species:
Many marine species are protected from deliberate or intentional disturbance, capture, injury and killing, and in some cases possession or sale. Species are often protected if they play an important role in the ecosystem or are sensitive to fishing. These marine species are protected regardless of whether they are inside or outside marine protected areas.
species, is likely and often documented.

The stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
is adequately monitored and although management measuresManagement measures:
For fisheries, management measures can affect the amount of fish that can be caught, the type of gear that can be used and where fishing is and is not allowed.
are implemented, there is no agreed management plan adopted by all parties. The managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species is partially effective.

Want to know more about the sustainability issues surrounding Atlantic cod? Check out our FAQ.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.

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