Faroe Islands Cod Stocks

This chapter provides an updated description of the two cod stocks in Faroese waters, i.e., on Faroe Plateau and Faroe Bank. As many other cod stocks in warm waters these two cod stocks have experienced low stock sizes in recent years. Therefore, environmental effects on the biology of cod are described, including cod spawning, juvenile survival, adult cod growth, feeding and migration. In addition anthropogenic effects, i.e., fishing mortality and management regimes, are described, including the effort management system and the management plan. The closure of the Faroe Bank for nearly all fishing from 2008 to 2021 apparently has led to the marked recovery of the Faroe Bank cod stock despite high temperatures in the whole region since early 2000. This is in stark contrast to the cod stock on Faroe Plateau where the fishing mortality has remained high and the cod stock remained low. This indicates that environmental effects, e.g. rising temperatures, are not solely determining the state of Faroese cod stocks, but that adequate management measures may secure a sustainable exploitation of cod in Faroese waters.