May 15, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

New Hampshire Sea Grant and the University of New Hampshire (UNH), in conjunction with a steering committee, are hosting a symposium on the structure of Atlantic cod populations in the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England regions, as well as nearby Canadian waters, namely Georges and Brown Bank and the Scotian Shelf. Fishermen are encouraged to attend.

EVENT TITLE:  “Cod Population Structure and New England Fisheries Symposium: Furthering our understanding by integrating knowledge gained through science and fishing”

DATE AND LOCATION:  Tuesday, June 19, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the UNH Campus at the Elliot Alumni Center. Light breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided. Travel expenses may be provided for fishermen who are attending.

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT:  According to the steering committee, the symposium will provide an opportunity to explore and talk about “the current understanding of the stock structure of cod.” New information from recent scientific studies will be discussed, and recreational and commercial fishermen will share on-the-water experience and knowledge. The symposium will help: (1) identify areas of common ground in the understanding of cod population structure; (2) identify areas of remaining uncertainty; and (3) broaden knowledge of alternative management options that may be considered in the future to accommodate the evolving understanding of cod stock structure. The steering committee said, “The symposium contributes to a new process focused on reevaluating cod stock structure in U.S. waters.”

SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES:

• Present recent findings among regional scientists studying Atlantic cod stock structure in U.S. and adjacent Canadian waters.
• Capture insight and feedback from fishermen on what is being observed on the water to incorporate into the developing model by researchers.
• Identify areas of common ground in the understanding of cod population structure and areas of remaining uncertainty.
• Learn about a series of alternative management options that may be considered in the future to accommodate the evolving understanding of cod stock structure.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:  Sign up at Cod Population Structure Symposium.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM:  Contact Erik Chapman, New Hampshire Sea Grant Director, at (603) 862-1935, Erik.Chapman@unh.edu.

COD STRUCTURE WORKING GROUP:  The symposium will precede a June 20-21, 2018 meeting of the Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Working Group. The working group was formed in February 2018 to “determine the most appropriate representation of Atlantic cod stock structure for use in regional stock assessments based on currently available information.” Background on the group is available at Working Group Formation Plan. The list of working group members and upcoming meetings can be found at Atlantic Cod Stock Structure Working Group.

Learn more about the NEFMC by visiting their site here.