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This Atlantic Cod ranges from 27 to 34 inches long and 6 to 12 pounds big

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Cod is an Atlantic fish that is popular to eat and contains less mercury than other commonly ate sea foods. The U.S. fishes for Cod in the western gulf of Maine and also on Georges bank of the coast of New England. Unfortunately both of these areas are over fished which leave a lack of Cod for the U.S. to export. Fisherman catch so much Cod on accident that they meet a quota and can no longer fish for what they originally wanted.

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Each step for Aquna's Murray Cod ensures sustainability

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Fish farming is generally more sustainable than commercial and industrial fishing. Although, there is still room to improve how sustainable the fish farms can be. Aquna Murray Cod fish farms use solar powered electricity for 50% of their energy. They also have a restock program where over 2 million fingerling Cod were released into rivers. A 100% water recycling system uses the same water twice through fish ponds then irrigation.

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Cod is served many ways often because it is  sustainably managed and harvested under U.S. regulated fisheries

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Web: U.S. wild-caught Cod is a smart sea food choice

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Web: U.S. wild-caught Cod is a smart sea food choice

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There are four different sub-species of Cod that the U.S. fishes for, the stocks of Cod are assessed over a period of time to see if they are subject to over fishing. The spawning biomass are the female Cod population which keeps the reproduction for Cod stabilized. A manager will allow a certain amount of Cod to be fished for then analyzed throughout the year to determine how much Cod can be fished for in the future.

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Fishermen on the Gulf of Maine think the Cod population is on a rise

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News : Are cod ‘severely depleted’ in the Gulf of Maine?

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News : Are cod ‘severely depleted’ in the Gulf of Maine?

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A telephone survey was conducted where Aquatic scientists asked fishermen and women if they thought that the Cod population has gone down within the past ten years. The people often said that it has seemed like the population was on a rise. from 2005 to 2017, the cod population has decreased by 80%. This means Cod are actually 5% less then its target level of population. To repopulate the spawning grounds for Cod, there are going to be more restrictions on fishing for Cod.

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Fishermen and scientists disagree when it comes to cod fisheries. But when the two groups work together, they can reveal important insights into cod biology

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Video: Fisherman Help Scientists Uncover the Secret Life of Cod

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Video: Fisherman Help Scientists Uncover the Secret Life of Cod

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Cod is an important fish within the North Atlantic as it has supported massive fisheries and drove the coastal economy of North America. Cities have been made for its sole purpose to support the Cod fisheries. Cod used to be extremely abundant until over fishing depleted the Cod stocks. This led to governments imposing new rules and regulations in order to preserve Cod.

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Figure 2. Map showing location of 6 different cod stocks addressed in this feature

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In 1992 there was a collapse of the Northern Cod stock in Canada which meant that Cod could no longer be fished for in the mass amounts it once was. The darker blue region represents Atlantic cod distribution, Red circles represent stocks that are doing poorly (Celtic Sea, Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank), yellow circles represent stocks that are low but recovering (North Sea), and green circles represent stocks that are doing well (Barents Sea, shelves of Iceland).

The stocks are in danger when fishing mortality is outside of precautionary limits.

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At Aquna hatcheries the fish undergo a meticulous system to ensure their harvested properly

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Aquna Murray Cod are grown in a tedious process that ensures sustainability and consistent quality. The hatchery allows for high performing Cod to breed which then create the best fish. Next these fish are taken to the nursery where they will be graded often and kept in tanks where they can grow. Then once they get to 120 grams the Cod go to a grow out farm where they are fed and healthy. Once they reach market size they are harvested and sold.

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To save Atlantic cod, CLF petitioned the federal government to take five conservation and management measures

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Monitors are needed for all New England ground fishing trips, to many fishing boats are illegally harvesting cod therefore we need somebody to ensure fisherman are only catching the amount they're supposed to. Recreational and commercial fishing for Cod needs to end in order to stop hindering the recovery of the Cod stocks. If there is an immediate ramp down of fishing they can repopulate themselves faster. Managers need to create refuges where Atlantic cod can spawn, grow, and thrive. This means closing important cod areas to any fishing capable of catching cod and other ground fish. Managers must require specific nets and other fishing gear that avoid Atlantic cod. Lastly, facilitate cod recovery, areas that are closed to commercial fishing must also be off-limits to recreational fishing.

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Cod provide people a source of omega-3 fatty acids that we cannot produce on our own. Cod also supply thousands of people jobs through fisheries, fish farms, commercial and industrial fishing. Unfortunately , our carelessness with maintaining the population of Cod has led to it's sever decline. If we do not continue to embed laws and regulations, stop over fishing , monitor the species and populations, Cod will no longer be available. If we want to keep these jobs, continue eating cod , and be able to fish in general, we have to care about what were fishing for.