GOM Cod

[Rec Fisher]

I was wondering if someone could direct me to the research data the NOAA uses to assess the Gulf of Maine cod stock. I am looking for raw data, not "processed" data.
I am a bit concerned with the information that is coming over the wire, and it is contradictory to what I have seen in the cod stock nearshore over the past few years. It looks to me as though the fishery will be shut down this winter.

[LandShark]

Every municipal, state, and federal entity should be subject to Freedom on Information Act (FOIA) requestss. This is the vehicle to get info from various agencies. I'm not sure if your looking for DMR (state) data or NMFS (federal) data. You'd probably need to send a FOIA request to both. I sure you could google FOIA request and find a standard letter to modify for your needs. Another option is to actually contact DMR or NMFS and go to their offices to review the data. Be aware that FOIA's can be expensive depending on the entity requesting it. They charge around 15 cents a page to copy.....which adds up quick if there are hundreds or thousands of pages. Another option is to contact the agencies before sending a FOIA and find out if their data is posted on any public site. Good luck.