This animation loop shows relative cod stock weight and location 1979 - 2005. Each frame represents 3 years of survey data for cod and frames advance every 3 seconds after the file has completed downloading. (yellow circles indicate cod are present, larger circles indicate more cod, plus sign (+) indicates sampled area where no cod were found)

The information displayed here represents 27 years of data, part of a larger 40 year timeseries collected consistently since 1963.

The Northeast's resource survey constitutes the world's longest and most comprehensive standardized measure of distribution and abundance trends in commercially harvested finfish.

It is not a measure of actual abundance.

It is not a stock assessment.

These pictures are animated on this page, but each frame of the animation may also be viewed and downloaded:

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For general information on cod stocks: Click Here

Cod Management

Most cod catch is limited by the number of days vessels can spend at sea pursuing cod and other groundfish, by some gear restrictions, by closure of various areas to fishing with groundfish gear, and, during some portions of the year, by daily limits on how much of some species can be landed per day fished. A permit is required to fish for groundfish in federal waters ( and in most state waters), and no new permits are being issued.