Cod Tagging Program

Stock identification is an important foundation for stock assessments. In the Northeast, stock identification is also controversial for several species, most notably cod and yellowtail flounder. The fishing industry strongly advocates tagging to test existing stock boundaries.

For more information on this project, click on the following links.

• Strategic Planning to Design a Collaborative Cod Tagging Program
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The purpose of the Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program is to monitor movements and identify distributions of cod in inshore and offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. CRPP has formed a partnership among Island Institute, Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST), and the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association (CCCHFA). These groups have been awarded contracts to coordinate regional tagging operations with the local fishing industries; manage and present tagging information on a web-based Geographic Information System (GIS), and provide outreach to the fishing community to encourage the return of tags from captured fish.

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is serving as the central coordinating organization for the five local cod tagging projects and will provide program consistency, maximize the return tags, and compile and make data readily available. More information is available on the Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program website.

Last Updated: June 22, 2006