Cod is disappearing - and not just from the refrigerated shelves

For many years, it was a perennial favorite on many menus and in every freezer shelf - but that's over now!

Its existence is under massive threat.

There are many reasons for this. For one thing, its prey, the sprat, is reaching record numbers. One of their foods is cod eggs - which further depletes their numbers.

The so-called bread fish of the Germans is one of the key species in the food web of the Baltic Sea. Now it has become more than rare.

The days of rich stocks are definitely over.

Endangered status

In fact, cod are considered endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

In the Baltic Sea, cod, as it is also known, is considered highly endangered.

It is also considered overexploited in the North Sea.

The problem lies primarily in the fact that the scientifically recommended catch quotas have been exceeded for decades. The spawning biomass gradually decreased.

Thanks to political decisions, the Baltic Sea catch quotas for commercial and recreational fishing were reduced in 2017. Nevertheless, too many cod are still caught before they are sexually mature and can even reproduce.

But that's not all: nutrient and pollutant pollution and climate change are also causing problems for the stocks.

It would probably be time to stop fishing - including sport fishing during the closed season. Preserving seagrass beds and rocky reefs where cod feel at home could also help to save this once abundant species.