Cod and micro-chips

Using micro-chips, scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science in Lowestoft aim to learn more about the movements and behaviour of cod. With better understanding of their habits they hope to devise ways of conserving cod stocks. Miniature electronic data storage tags, which have been developed by CEFAS using new microchip technology, will be attached to cod off the East Anglian coast. The tag has a total weight of 2.5g in sea-water. Each tag can store 500,000 data samples for periods up to 25 years. The tags record ambient daylight, how deep the fish are swimming and sea water temperature. Tags are returned when the fish are caught and CEFAS scientists will use the data recorded on the microchips to deduce the cod’s movements. Fishermen will receive £25 for each electronic tag returned to CEFAS. Scientists already know that cod can migrate large distances from spawning grounds to feeding grounds. They do this by making use of the North Sea’s strong tidal currents. Tagging will start with the arrival of cod off East Anglia and the study will cost £55,000. The scheme will help fisheries managers and the industry to devise ways of conserving and increasing cod stocks.