SMAST and the Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program 2003
Introduction • Summary • By the Numbers • Tagging Protocol • Fishermen Partners • Outreach • End Note • Final Report 2005

In February 2003 NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service funded the Northeast Regional Cod-tagging Program project through the Northeast Region Cooperative Research Partners Initiative (CRPI) to conduct a multi-agency tagging study of Atlantic Cod, Gadus morhua, movements in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank region. The Gulf of Maine Aquarium was awarded the task of overall supervision of the project and of data maintenance. The School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MADMF) were awarded the task of tagging cod in the Georges Bank portion of the study area, including the region from the Great South Channel to the Hague Line. The Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA) targets the area immediately to the west and north of the SMAST target area, with some overlap in the Great South Channel region. The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), targets the northeast peak portion of Georges Bank to the east of the Hague line, as well as other Canadian waters.

Between April and December 2003, SMAST tagged 7,920 cod in seven dedicated trawling trips totaling 33 days at sea aboard chartered New Bedford fishing vessels. An average of 240 cod were tagged per day-at-sea. A total of 28 fishermen participated in the project during this period. Five trips were conducted in the spring (April-June 2003) resulting in the tagging of 6,747 cod, and two trips in the fall (November-December 2003) resulting in the tagging of 1,173 cod. Preliminary tag return data indicate an overall tag return rate of 2.5 % for the first five trips (171 returns out of 6,747 tags). Although tag return data must be considered provisional until more time has elapsed since release, it is striking that 53% of the early returns were from Canadian waters. Even more striking, 76% (n=81) out of the 106 returns received from fish at large for at least 30 days before recapture, were recorded in Canadian waters. Thus, preliminary findings suggest a much greater importance of movement between US and Canadian waters of Georges Bank cod than has previously been recognized. In summary, the Georges Bank component of the Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program has been highly successful.