© 2005 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
Differences in spawning time of captive Atlantic cod from four regions of Norway, kept under identical conditions
Institute of Marine Research PO Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817 Bergen, Norway
*Correspondence to H. Otterå: tel: +47 55238500; fax: +47 55238531. e-mail: haakon{at}imr.no.
Several hundred Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) were collected from selected spawning grounds along the Norwegian coast in March 2002. Four areas or regions that represent a wide range of environmental conditions were chosen for our breeding experiments: Porsangerfjord, Tysfjord, Helgeland, and Øygarden. Cod were transported to Øygarden near Bergen, individually tagged, and kept in sea cages. In both 2003 and 2004, a total of 40 family groups (adult pairs) representing the four regions were monitored for their spawning performance in separate tanks. During the spawning period, the quantity and diameter of eggs were recorded. During 2003, the time of peak spawning differed among groups. It was evident that the broodstock from the Øygarden region spawned about one month earlier than the broodstock collected from the Helgeland region. This also occurred in 2004, two years after the cod were collected, suggesting that the difference has a genetic component. Differences in life history parameters between cod populations, such as spawning cycles as described here, could be adaptive and under genetic control. This must be taken into consideration when assessing precautionary means of overcoming the problem with escapees from future cod mariculture.
Keywords: cod, Gadus morhua, genetic influence, local populations, mariculture, spawning time
Received 22 September 2004; accepted 7 November 2005.
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