Record northern dissemination of cod stock
- We have never before seen such large amounts of cod so far north in the Barents Sea as this year. The two researchers Bjarte Bogstad and Harald Gjøsæter have just ended this year’s comprehensive marine survey together with Russian colleagues.
The research vessel “Johan Hjort” arrived to port in Kirkenes this week ending the 2011 joint Norwegian, Russian ecosystem cruise. Three Norwegian vessels operated by the Institute of Marine Research and the Russian research vessel “Vilnius” operated by Pinro have examined minutely the Barents Sea from south to north, from east to west.
The researchers were surprised by catching of Northeast Atlantic cod as far north as 82 degrees.
- We have been sailing the waters east of Svalbard, and also there we found large amounts of cod far more north than normal, says expedition leader Harald Gjøsæter to BarentsObserver.
40 years of cooperation
Norwegian and Russian marine researchers have arranged joint survey expeditions in the Barents Sea since the 70ties.
The Northeast Atlantic cod stock is this autumn more widespread than ever seen before. Unlike previous years, the researchers have found large amount of cod in the north eastern Barents Sea close to Novaya Zemlya.
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- The cod has got a larger “grazing ground” than seen before and as a result the stock is large, says Harald Gjøsæter showing the map of the dissemination in the Barents Sea.
Global warming
More cod in the north is connected to a record high stock of capelin in the northern Barents Sea as well as higher sea temperatures.
- Sea temperature this autumn is considerable colder than last summer, but still way higher than the average over the last 40 years, explains expedition leader Gjøsæter.
In the waters south east of Svalbard the sea temperatures are in general -0,5 degree Celsius at water depths between 50 to 200 metres this autumn compared with a -0,7 degree Celsius average the last 40 years.
- Water temperatures are high enough for the cod to feel comfortable all around the northern part of the Barents Sea, says Gjøsæter.
Record peak of capelin stock
The researchers onboard “Johan Hjort” have also been studying the dissemination of capelin. It has never before been counted so much capelin in the areas between Svalbard and Franz Josef’s Land as this autumn.
It is the Russian marine research vessel “Vilnius” that has examined minutely the eastern part of the Barents Sea all the way to northeast of Franz Josef’s Land.
Recommends quotas
The Norwegian and Russian marine researchers will meet in Murmansk later this week to compare the results of the joint expeditions. The results will then be presented to the joint Norwegian-Russian fishery commission that meets in Kaliningrad next week to determine the quota for next year’s fishery in the Barents Sea.
Normally, the fishery commission follows the recommendations given by the researchers when they determine the cod quota for the Barents Sea.
- Huge cod stock and widely dissemination all round the Barents Sea does not necessarily means that we will recommend higher quotas next year, says Harald Gjøsæter. He will not leak any news about how big quotas they will recommend for next year.
