Spatial and temporal migrations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the Belgian part of the North Sea and the Western Scheldt.
In this project the migration ecology of Atlantic cod in a coastal area is investigated. Atlantic cod is known to make (extensive) movements between feeding and spawning/wintering grounds. The extension of the movements however varies between subpopulations. Movements can result in changes in the distribution of the stock. For fisheries management purposes it is crucial to know where fish move to and whey they do so. As Atlantic cod is species with high commercial value and the stocks are subject to high fishing pressure, it is important to monitor the population through their whole life cycle, to be able to take the correct management actions. We will focus on Atlantic cod present in the Belgian North Sea as little information is available on the potential wintering/spawning grounds.