The following is an analysis of stock enhancement possibilities for a 

 selected group of commercially important species. They are: New England 

 Ground Fish, including cod, haddock, yellowtail and blackback flounders, ocean 

 perch, and pollock; Gulf Shrimp; Pacific Salmon; Alaska Crab; Atlantic 

 Herring; and Pacific Pollock. 



New England Ground Fish 



Cod 



Gadus morhua is a heavily fished species ranging in numbers from Labrador 

 to south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Various stocks have been identified. In 

 Newfoundland, the stock inhabits coastal waters during the summer and offshore 

 waters in the winter. Another stock is always present on Georges Bank and 

 apparently most individuals are there throughout their lives. A third stock 

 spawns in more southern waters during mid-winter and then returns to Georges 

 Bank. The female is prolific, laying millions of eggs which are pelagic as 

 are the developing young (5) . 



Cod eggs were hatched in hatcheries and the fry released in coastal waters 

 from the late 1800 's until World War II. When no definite benefits were noted, 

 this procedure was stopped. The International Commission for the Northwest 

 Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) earlier stated that stock enhancement would only 

 result when fishing intensity was reduced. 



Future possibilities for stock enhancement in addition to catch restrictions 

 are: 1) development of new genetic strains, i.e. southern populations grow and 

 develop faster than northern stock; 2) application of the newer technology 

 developed on the west coast for salmon might facilitate stock enhancement. 

 The technology could be modified and applied, but economic feasibility studies 



