Cod fry were found off the west coast of Sweden, which refutes their extinction. This was reported by the press service of the University of Gothenburg.
A single Atlantic cod species (gadus morhua) are divided into several ecotypes: populations adapted to certain conditions. They can interbreed with each other, but practically do not do this due to their different habitats. One of these ecotypes is the coastal cod, which does not live in the open ocean but in shallow water close to the shore.
For a long time it was believed that this cod is fished entirely off the west coast of Sweden. Now scientists have managed to refute this view, discovering the young growth of coastal cod. For the study, the researchers collected and genetically analyzed puppies no longer than one decimeter in length from more than 100 different locations in Skagerrak, Kattegat and Øresund. It turns out that the cod population in this area is not just “sea” cod, but a mix of both ecotypes. “Normal” cod is mostly found offshore, and coastal cod is found closer to shore where it should be. The proportion of this ecotype was particularly high in the fjords of western Sweden.
“In some places, both offshore and coastal cod are found in the same fjord, but seem to live at different depths. Sea cod lives a little deeper, while coastal cod is more common in shallow water,” the scientists explain.
It is also unknown why such adult cod is not found in such places. In the future, scientists plan to find and develop measures for the revival of the population on the Swedish coast.
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