Changes in blue cod populations off Canterbury and in the Marlborough Sounds has raised concerns about the impact of human stressors on these populations, but the relationship between most stressors and blue cod is unknown.
Information on blue cod abundance was matched with environmental data to understand the habitat characteristics important for blue cod adults and juveniles off three Canterbury sites; Banks Peninsula, Motunau, Kaikōura.
Changes in potential stressors to blue cod habitat were compared with blue cod population status over 20 years at the sites off Canterbury and in the Marlborough Sounds.
Blue cod were associated with areas where the seafloor is rough and complex (e.g., reef systems), where structural habitat was provided by plants and animals, and in areas with higher water clarity and lower temperature.
Blue cod population status was related to stressors from land use (e.g., coastal water quality), and increasing water temperatures in most locations, although the intensity of these stressors has varied substantially over time and among locations.
This information provides guidance on the scale and focus for future research and potential management opportunities to limit these stressors and ensure sustainability of the blue cod fishery.
AEBR 323 Habitat use and the impact of multiple stressors on blue cod populations in Canterbury and the Marlborough Sounds
Type
Report - Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity (AEBR)
Published
Last updated
ISBN Online
978-1-991120-23-6
ISSN Online
1179-6480