Recommendation

  • Avoid

  • Take a pass on this red-rated seafood for now because it poses a high risk to the environment

Lingcod

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

  • Also known as

    Blue Cod, Buffalo Cod, Cultus Cod, Kinmutsu, Ling
  • Country or region

    Canada (British Columbia)
  • Body of water

    Northeast Pacific Ocean
  • Fishing gear

    Bottom trawls
  • Other details

    Rockfish Trawl

    Outside

At a glance

Lingcod caught in British Columbia, Canada, is rated yellow or red. Lingcod’s stock status and whether current fishing levels are sustainable are unknown, and this species has characteristics that make it more vulnerable to overfishing. Except in one fishery, lingcod is caught with species that are undergoing overfishing OR they’re overfished or highly vulnerable, and it’s unknown if overfishing is happening. Some fisheries have lower numerical scores for bycatch impacts, resulting in red ratings. Management of these complex multi-species fisheries is moderately effective overall. Some aspects are strong, but fishery managers don’t know if many species are being harvested sustainably. Closed areas and other measures reduce overall habitat impacts, and broader efforts to protect ecosystems are being developed and are likely to be effective.

Yellow-rated fisheries catch 71 percent of the volume, and the remainder is red-rated.

Overall score: 2.099

  • Impacts on the Species Under Assessment

    1.732

  • Impacts on Other Species

    1.526

  • Management Effectiveness

    3.000

  • Impacts on the Habitat and Ecosystem

    2.449

FISHING METHOD

Bottom trawls

Bottom trawls herd and sieve fish with two or more cone-shaped nets that have smaller mesh bags called codends, which retain the catch. Trawl nets are configured to stay open in different ways. Often floating headropes and weighted footropes hold the nets open vertically, and beams, otter boards, or two boats keep them open horizontally. When in use, fish are herded into the codend as the gear is towed on or near the seafloor. Bottom trawls are used to catch cod, crab, flounder, pollock, rockfish, shrimp, and many other species.

title

  • Impacts on the Species Under Assessment

    The condition of the fish population and if overfishing is occurring.
  • Impacts on Other Species

    The fishery’s impacts on other fish and animals that are caught or used for bait.
  • Management Effectiveness

    The efforts to understand and minimize the fishery’s impact on marine life.
  • Impacts on the Habitat and Ecosystem

    The fishery’s impact on the seafloor and food web.

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