Does the Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) Have a Future In The Gulf of Maine?
Brown University Center For Environmental
Studies
Spring 2003
Commercial and Recreational Trends Together
Eric.Brazer@Alumni.Brown.edu
Page Last Updated: 5/16/2003
Average Length of Recreational Landings Over Time vs. Recreational Landings Over Time
As was seen in the previous pages the trends in the length of recreationally-landed
cod have increased from approximately 50 cm in 1982 to approximately 61
cm in 2000. During this same time period commercial landings have decreased
by 67% from approximately 1,700,000 cod to just fewer than 500,000 cod.
Looking at these two variables together we are not able to readily identify
a definite pattern between the number of recreational cod landed and the
average length of the cod.
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Graph created
by E. Brazer Jr.
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Here
we can see a general decrease in landings over time and a general increase
in average size over time. These two events may be mutually exclusive;
that is, one may not influence the other. Unlike in the similar graph
with commercially-caught cod we are not able to assume that one trend
influences (or is influenced by) the other.