Cod coves from the North Sea about to run out

1997/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Arrantza

According to a study by researchers from Scotland, Iceland and Canada, cod coves from the North Sea may be on the verge of depletion and may soon happen to those from Canada and Iceland. The study was published in the journal Nature on 6 February.

The cod of the North Sea suffers a strong fishing pressure, since every year 60% of the estoka is fished. Researchers have analyzed whether the current fishing regime is portable and have concluded that it is not.

The portability of the fishing regime is conditioned by the relationship between the number of fish able to reproduce and the fish born and by the mortality of the fish. When the death rate exceeds the birth rate, the duration of the street is endangered.

The factor to consider in cod fishing is the age of fish. Cod has a fairly long life, so it does not reach sexual maturity until four years. On the other hand, the cods are fished from a young age and are currently being dragged by fish of more than a year. One of the two cods of a year has been caught. Therefore, the mortality rate of cods is very high and reproductive maturity is very low, representing only 4% of those born.

The researchers propose, therefore, that drastic measures be taken to reduce the fishing quota if the cove of the North Sea is not desired.