MIGRATION PATTERN OF JUVENILE COD (GADUS-MORHUA) ON THE SWEDISH WEST-COAST

Pi hl. L. and Ulmestrand. M. 1993. Migration pattern of juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) on the Swedish west coast. - ICES J. mar. Sei. 50: 63-70. A tagging experiment was earned out on the Swedish west coast (Skagerrak-Katlegal area, 55-59JN, 11 -12◦E) to study migration of juvenile cod (Gadus morhua). 437 and 4255 lagged (1-group) cod were released in early summer and autumn 1986, respectively, at five shallow (5 to ID m) stations. Three years after release. 300 (6.4%) tagged cod had been recaptured. During the summer and autumn of 1986 fish released both during the early summer and autumn 1986 were located close to the tagging sites, indicating limited movement during this time Alan age of 2 years and a standard length of 30 to 50 cm, a general olTshore migration to deeper water was observed during winter of 1987 The main direction was to the south and west suggesting a migration to spawning areas in the eastern North Sea or in the southern Kattegat. The major offshore migration of 2-year- old cod suggests that local coastal spawning and coastal slocks are of minor importance on the Swedish west coast. © 1993 Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer.