Population Dynamics of Arctic Cod in the US Chukchi Sea

Currently, commercial fishing is prohibited in the US Arctic due to insufficient data to assess the sustainability of potential fisheries. In the 2009 Arctic Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) was identified as one of three potential target species. A preliminary assessment of Arctic cod was completed for the Arctic FMP based on bottom trawl surveys that occurred in 1990 and 1991 in the northeastern Chukchi Sea. During August/September of 2012 and 2013, two comprehensive fisheries oceanographic standardized grid surveys were conducted with stations spaced every 30 nautical miles throughout the US Chukchi Sea. Arctic cod were sampled by surface trawl, bottom trawl (2012 only) and acoustic surveys. Age 1+ Arctic cod were ubiquitous throughout the region, in low abundances and generally small in size. We will present a simple Leslie Matrix model using updated life history parameters, and recent survey data to better understand the status of Arctic cod in the US Chukchi Sea. We will present model sensitivity to varying input parameters, such as natural mortality and recruitment.