Cod

General Information

North Sea

Baltic Sea

Clyde Marine Region

Adriatic Sea

Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Cod

Layer Info
Category	Ecology
Sub-category	Fish

Description

Habitat: Benthopelagic
Main role: Predator
Trophic level: 4,4

Diet: Juvenile cod are pelagic and feed mainly on copepods. At a size of approximately 7 cm they adopt a demersal way of life with a diet that initially comprised of crustaceans. As they grow, bigger fish become increasingly important as prey.

Threats: Highly commercial and vulnerable (IUCN red list). Cod is a highly fished top predator, which has seen several stock collapses in the 1990s around the world due to overfishing. In the North Sea cod stocks seem to be slowly recovering. Cod are also very sensitive to fluctuations in temperature.

MSP Challenge

Cod is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE).

Different pressures generate by human activities (noise, bottom disturbance, surface disturbance, artificial substrate) have different, complex effects on marine species in terms of movement, survival and procreation.

Cod are caught by all fishing fleets, but mostly by bottom trawl.

Types

• Very Low Density
• Low Density
• Medium Density
• High Density
• Very High Density

Metadata

Data Source

Data is calculated by Ecosystem simulation (MEL & EwE).

Original Title

Not applicable.

Description

This simulation model employs a combination of Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) and Mass-balance Ecological Model (MEL) methodologies to study the intricate dynamics of cod populations within marine ecosystems. It incorporates trophic interactions, fishing pressure, environmental factors, and spatial considerations to provide insights into the resilience and sustainability of cod stocks. The model enables scenario testing for assessing the effects of various management strategies on cod populations, contributing valuable information for evidence-based fisheries management and conservation efforts.

Creation Date

Not Applicable

Methodology

Coming Soon

Types

• Very Low Density
• Low Density
• Medium Density
• High Density
• Very High Density

Metadata

Data Source

Data is calculated by Ecosystem simulation (MEL & EwE).

Original Title

Not Applicable

Description

This simulation model employs a combination of Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) and Mass-balance Ecological Model (MEL) methodologies to study the intricate dynamics of cod populations within marine ecosystems. It incorporates trophic interactions, fishing pressure, environmental factors, and spatial considerations to provide insights into the resilience and sustainability of cod stocks. The model enables scenario testing for assessing the effects of various management strategies on cod populations, contributing valuable information for evidence-based fisheries management and conservation efforts.

Creation Date

Not Applicable

Methodology

Coming Soon

Types

• Extremely Low
• Low
• Medium
• High
• Extra High

Metadata

Data Source

Data is calculated by Ecosystem simulation (MEL & EwE).

Original Title

Not Applicable

Description

This simulation model employs a combination of Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) and Mass-balance Ecological Model (MEL) methodologies to study the intricate dynamics of cod populations within marine ecosystems. It incorporates trophic interactions, fishing pressure, environmental factors, and spatial considerations to provide insights into the resilience and sustainability of cod stocks. The model enables scenario testing for assessing the effects of various management strategies on cod populations, contributing valuable information for evidence-based fisheries management and conservation efforts.

Creation Date

Not Applicable

Methodology

Coming Soon

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Adriatic Sea Edition.

Cod can be found in the Adriatic Sea. However, it is important to note that this region is on the southern edge of their natural range. The cod is not as abundant in the Adriatic Sea as they are in their primal habitat in colder northern waters (WoRMS Editorial Board, 2023).

World Register of Marine Species. Available from https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ. Accessed 2023-10-02. doi:10.14284/170

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Eastern Mediterranean Sea Edition.

Cod is not typically found in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Cod is a cold-water species that is more commonly found in more northern waters, where the water temperature is cooler (WoRMS Editorial Board, 2023).

World Register of Marine Species. Available from https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ. Accessed 2023-10-02. doi:10.14284/170