What is the health condition of cod in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank?
**Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GB) are in poor condition and remain severely depleted compared to historical levels, despite some management efforts to reduce fishing pressure. (LINK)
NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) have transitioned from managing cod as two traditional units (GOM and GB) to four biological stocks based on 2023 research track assessments: Eastern GOM (EGOM), Western GOM (WGOM), Georges Bank (GB), and Southern New England (SNE). The traditional GOM area largely covers EGOM and WGOM, while GB is its own stock. Assessments use the Woods Hole Assessment Model (WHAM) and updated data through 2023. (LINK)
### Current Stock Status (from 2024 Management Track Assessments)
– **Georges Bank (GB) cod**: Overfished; overfishing is **not** occurring. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2023 was about 2,668 mt (32% of the target SSB<sub>MSY</sub> proxy of 8,290 mt). Fishing mortality (F) in 2023 was 0.13 (56% of the overfishing threshold proxy of 0.233). Biomass has been low in recent years, with a truncated age structure (fewer older fish). (LINK)
– **Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) cod**: Overfished; overfishing **is** occurring. SSB in 2023 was 1,847 mt (well below the high target proxy of ~62,677 mt). F in 2023 was 0.31 (163% of the overfishing threshold proxy of 0.19). This is the main component of the former GOM stock. (LINK)
– **Eastern Gulf of Maine (EGOM) cod**: Overfished; overfishing is **not** occurring. SSB in 2023 was only 267 mt (12% of the target proxy of 2,184 mt). F was very low at 0.006 (2% of threshold). Catches are minimal. (LINK)
Overall, the stocks show low biomass, poor recruitment in many years, age truncation, and influences from warming waters, changing productivity, and historical overfishing. Rebuilding timelines have been missed or extended in the past. (LINK)
### Recent Trends and Context
– Catches have declined sharply over decades due to strict limits. For example, combined US/Canada catches on GB were around 417 mt in 2023 (down from over 1,000 mt earlier in the 2010s). GOM catches are also low. (LINK)
– Low recruitment (young fish entering the population) has been a persistent issue, exacerbated by climate factors like warmer temperatures affecting larval survival and habitat. (LINK)
– The 2021 assessments (pre-transition) already showed both traditional GOM and GB stocks as overfished, with overfishing occurring in some cases. The 2024 updates confirm continued poor status under the new units. (LINK)
### Management for 2025 (Fishing Year Starting May 1, 2025)
Emergency and interim specifications set low catch limits (ACLs) to avoid overfishing:
– GOM cod (combined): Around 345–551 mt total, with sub-allocations (e.g., WGOM higher than EGOM).
– GB cod: Around 194–535 mt (US share; shared with Canada on eastern portions).
– Measures include possession limits, area closures, gear restrictions, and prohibitions on possessing GB cod in some sectors to protect spawning and rebuilding. (LINK)
Recreational measures (e.g., size limits, seasons) are also restrictive in these areas. (LINK)
### Outlook
Projections indicate slow or uncertain recovery even at reduced fishing rates, due to environmental factors and low productivity. Biomass may remain low through 2027 without strong recruitment years. Management is shifting toward finer-scale protections aligned with the biological stocks. (LINK)
For the most current details, check NOAA Fisheries’ Atlantic Cod page or NEFMC stock assessment reports, as statuses can update with new data. The fishery remains tightly managed to promote long-term rebuilding.