Current Research
Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)
Atlantic cod are a vital fish species here in Newfoundland, Canada. They have been a source of economic, nutritional, and cultural value for centuries, and have been fished in these waters for even longer! The Northern cod population took a nose dive in the 1990s and was placed under a moratorium shortly after, meaning that fishing activity was extremely limited.
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In recent years, cod seem to be making a comeback, but not nearly to the degree they existed in the 20th century. With increased scientific research aimed at understanding what is limiting cod from rebounding fully, we may soon know what drives the stock... that is where my research comes in!
Fecundity and Diet
Fecundity is the measure of an individuals ability to reproduce, for fish, this means how many eggs a female holds at maturity. There are multiple things that affect fecundity, one of which is how many nutrients a fish obtains in their diet.
Diet refers to what a fish eats. Capelin (a small lipid-rich bait fish) is the ideal diet for cod, but has been low in availability in the past several decades. With the lack of capelin, cod have been turning towards other prey items, like shrimp.
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I want to know if cod are experiencing a relationship in fecundity and diet, if the lack of capelin available to eat is reducing the probability of spawning in cod.
Stable Isotopes
Stable isotopes are a way to gain extra information on a fish's diet, based on where they live in the water column. If a fish is eating benthic prey items instead of pelagic prey items, we can see that in the carbon isotope values preserved in its muscle tissues. Pretty cool, yeah?
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I plan to incorporate stable isotope analysis into my work to gather an added level of information on cod feeding behaviors and their relation to fecundity.
