Distribution and drift of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) eggs and larvae in Greenland offshore waters

Abstract

Catches of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) eggs and larvae from 45 national and international ichthyoplankton surveys conducted in Greenland offshore waters during the period 1950 to 1984 have been compiled and re-analysed. Southeast and Southwest Greenland were identified as important spawning areas from which eggs and early larvae drift towards the southern Davis Strait. Only a part of the larval population remained in the vicinity of favourable settling areas off West Greenland while a considerable part was obviously transported westward across the Davis Strait and thus did not contribute to the recruitment of the West Greenland cod stock. It is also shown that cod eggs and larvae occasionally drift from Southwest Iceland across the Denmark Strait to the East Greenland shelf from where a subsequent transport and immigration of juveniles to West Greenland waters can occur. Larval transport across the Denmark Strait appeared to be most crucial for short-term replenishment of the offshore stock of cod at East and West Greenland. In general, these results confirm the existing knowledge on the transport of cod fry in Greenland waters but they indicate a higher importance of Southeast and East Greenland waters as potential spawning and settling areas for the recruitment of West Greenland cod than reported in previous studies.