Seasonal Changes in General Condition and Lipid Content of Cod from Inshore Waters

Abstract

The seasonal variations in lipid content and general "condition" of cod, Gadus morhua L., from an inshore population have been determined.Four female and four male fish were chosen from 20 live cod brought in monthly from Terence Bay, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, the fish were pooled and the lipid content determined on the flesh, livers, and gonads. The flesh lipids varied from 0.57% to 0.74% and the oil content of the livers from 15% to 75%.The general "condition" of the fish as expressed by [Formula: see text], the liver condition by [Formula: see text], and the fat content of the liver all showed seasonal variation with maxima in the fall and minima in the spring. K F varied from 0.79 to 1.05 and K L from 1.0 to 4.5. No seasonal variation in the amount of flesh lipids could be detected.