The Atlantic cod'a culturally, economically and ecologically important fish species with a rich New England history'has not recovered from stock collapses in recent years, despite substantial management intervention and a major reduction in commercial fishing effort. Although research attention has increased, many questions on cod meant to aid management and promote recovery are not yet fully answered, such as what happens to those cod that are caught by certain fishing gears, but not harvested. Dr. John Mandelman describes ongoing work by the New England Aquarium and colleagues to better understand the fate of undersized cod that by law must be released after capture in recreational fisheries, and which strategies may increase the probability of survival. Dr. Mandelman also provides historical context on cod in the region, and describe how evolving tracking technologies are being used to answer important fisheries questions.
