Department of Fisheries Oceanography

“The Spawning Dynamics and Biology of Cod in Southern New England Offshore Wind Energy Areas”

By:

Alison Frey

Advisor

Steven X. Cadrin (UMass Dartmouth)

Committee Members

Kevin Stokesbury (UMass Dartmouth), Lauran Brewster (UMass Dartmouth), and Greg DeCelles (Ørsted)

Thursday June 5, 2025

1:00 PM

SMAST East 101-103

836 S. Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford

and via Zoom

Abstract:

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) supported a robust fishery through most of the 20th century, but due to overfishing and environmental change, stocks collapsed in the 1990s, and populations remain below target biomass levels. Successful spawning and recruitment are critical for stock rebuilding, but spawning is a sensitive period within the lifecycle of cod and is vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. The most southern cod stock off Southern New England is currently assessed to be overfished with overfishing occurring. Offshore wind energy development is occurring on a known spawning ground, Cox Ledge, which is designated as Essential Fish Habitat and a Habitat Area of Particular Concern, and may have impacts on cod reproduction. To characterize impacts of offshore wind development on spawning of Southern New England cod, data on habitat use and spawning dynamics were collected via acoustic telemetry to compare pre-construction and post-construction residency to the spawning ground (chapter 1). Environmental drivers of cod presence on Cox Ledge will be assessed with generalized linear models (chapter 2), and biological sampling will be used to estimate size at maturity to inform the data-moderate Southern New England stock assessment (chapter 3). This proposed work will aid in effective assessment and management of fisheries and offshore wind interactions with vulnerable living marine resources.

*************************************************************************************************

Join Zoom Meeting

Topic: Ali Frey Thesis Defense

Time: Jun 5, 2025 12:00 Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://umassd.zoom.us/j/94363529761

 

Meeting ID: 943 6352 9761

Passcode: 595695