Haddock

Haddock, Scrod

N/A

Haddock is a demersal (bottom-dwelling) species in the family Gadidae, which are known as the “true cods”. Like many other gadoids (cod, hake, pollock, whiting), it is a commercially important groundfish species. Haddock is distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, and in the Northwest Atlantic ranges from Labrador to Cape Charles, Virginia. Haddock are usually found in 45 to 135m of water and in bottom temperatures between 2° and 10°C. Adult Haddock range in size from about 30cm to up to 1m, and most commercially caught Haddock weigh from 1 to 3kg. The maximum known age for Haddock is 14 years, but only a small proportion of animals survive past age 9. Haddock are highly fecund, and adult female egg production increases substantially with age, from a few hundred thousand eggs each year in the youngest spawners up to three million eggs in the oldest spawners. Haddock have a broad diet, which varies by locality. Among other things, they consume echinoderms (mainly brittle stars), crustaceans, polychaetes, bivalve and gastropod mollusks, and fishes (mostly herring eggs). Juveniles are preyed upon by several fish species including other gadoids while adult Haddock are preyed upon by Gray seals.

In Canada, there are several haddock stocks including one in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and eastern Scotian Shelf, a major one on the eastern Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy, and a major transboundary stock on Georges Bank. Although some Haddock stocks undertake seasonal migrations within their areas, there is thought to be relatively little exchange of individuals among the different stocks.

Haddock is an early maturing that is inherently resilient to fishing pressure. Heavy fishing pressure, however, has acted as a strong selective force to decrease the size and age at maturity, which may adversely impact recruitment and natural mortality.

Three separate Haddock stocks are currently managed in Canada: the eastern Scotian Shelf & southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (4RST), southern Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy (4X/5Y), and a transboundary eastern Georges Bank (5Ze) stock that is co-managed with the U.S. All three haddock stocks have been significantly overexploited and can be considered to be recovering from overfishing.

Bottom trawling and bottom longline are the primary fishing methods for haddock in Atlantic Canada. Both gears catch several other species as bycatch, including cod and cusk. There is concern that bycatch in the haddock fishery may impair rebuilding of cod populations.

Bottom trawling can significantly damage benthic marine habitats and several areas in Atlantic Canada and New England have been closed to trawling to reduce this impact, but habitat destruction remains an issue and has had historic impact in the marine environment.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) monitors haddock abundance in longterm research surveys and undertakes regular population assessments. The management regime, however, has not prevented trawl-induced habitat damage or significant historic declines in haddock stocks. Until the stocks have fully recovered and there is a plan implemented to mitigate trawl damage, management can be considered only moderately effective for trawl gear.

Where is this haddock from?
How was it caught?

Handline from the U.S. Atlantic is ranked “Best Choice”.

Adults and children can safely eat more than 4 meals per month + Low contaminant levels

Yes. This fishery was certified as sustainable by the MSC on October 22, 2010.

Canadian vessels licensed to fish in the southern Scotian Shelf, the Bay of Fundy and the Canadian portion of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine. The certification covers vessels using otter trawls, long lines, hand lines, and gillnets.

The MSC certification of Canadian trawl caught Haddock does not change the current SeaChoice rank of Some Concerns.