Study by Norwegian Institute of Marine Research suggests genetic "instructions" passed from mother cod to embryos change depending on the water temperature experienced in the months prior to spawning.
No major changes in cod DNA from long-term fishing pressure
Cod have been fished for a thousand years, both along the Norwegian coast and off Newfoundland, but industrial fishing really took off after the Second World War. Photo: Kjartan Mæstad / Institute of Marine Research
Samples of Atlantic cod fished in Mortsund, Lofoten in 1907 have provided researchers with new clues about the population s development since then. Photo: Runar Bjørkvik Mæland / Institute of Marine Research
Researchers derived a full genome sequence from preserved cod scales and otholiths. Photo: Runar Bjørkvik Mæland / Institute of Marine Research
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Historical and contemporary samples of Norwegian and Canadian cod show that the fish’s genome has remained stable over time.