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Marine Ecology Progress Series

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MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 689:109-126 (2022)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14047

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New perspectives on Eastern Baltic cod movement patterns from historical and contemporary tagging data

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of the movement patterns and area utilisation of commercially important fish stocks is critical to management. The Eastern Baltic cod Gadus morhua, one of the most commercially and ecologically important stocks in the Baltic Sea, is currently one of the most severely impacted fish stocks in Europe. During the last 2 decades, this stock has experienced drastic decreases in population size, distributional range, individual growth and body condition, all of which may have affected the movements between different areas of the Baltic Sea. In this study, we investigated the seasonal movement patterns of Eastern Baltic cod by re-analysing historical tagging data collected by the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea (1955-1988) and compared historical patterns with contemporary data from a recent international tagging experiment (2016-2019). Our re-analyses of historical data showed the presence of different movement behaviours, i.e. resident or seasonally migratory, with larger distances moved by cod released in the northern and central Baltic areas compared to cod released in the southern Baltic areas. Furthermore, trends from the recent tagging experiment indicate a persistent resident strategy in the southern Baltic area. These findings present additional information on general movement patterns and area utilisation of Eastern Baltic cod that could inform future management actions and aid stock recovery.

KEYWORDS

Baltic SeaGadus morhuaFish movementMark-recaptureHistorical dataHome rangeKernel density estimationGeneralized additive model

Monica Mion (Corresponding Author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden
monica.mion@slu.se

Christopher A. Griffiths (Co-author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden
  • University of Sheffield, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
  • Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, UK

Valerio Bartolino (Co-author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden

Stefanie Haase (Co-author)

  • Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Alter Hafen Süd 2, 18069 Rostock, Germany

Annelie Hilvarsson (Co-author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden

Karin Hüssy (Co-author)

  • Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Maria Krüger-Johnsen (Co-author)

  • Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Uwe Krumme (Co-author)

  • Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Alter Hafen Süd 2, 18069 Rostock, Germany

Regitze Benedicte Carlstedt Lundgreen (Co-author)

  • Technical University of Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Johan Lövgren (Co-author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden

Kate McQueen (Co-author)

  • Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Alter Hafen Süd 2, 18069 Rostock, Germany
  • Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870 Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway

Maris Plikshs (Co-author)

  • Fish Resource Research Department, Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, 3 Lejupes Street, 1076 Riga, Latvia

Krzysztof Radtke (Co-author)

  • National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ul. Kołłątaja 1, 81-332 Gdynia, Poland

Jari Raitaniemi (Co-author)

  • Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 A, 20520 Turku, Finland

Michele Casini (Co-author)

  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Turistgatan 5, 45330 Lysekil, Sweden
  • University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy

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