The reproduction biology of cod is one of the main re-search topics of the Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries at Rostock. It was defined 10 years ago when the Institute was formed. Since then results have been published in a number of publications. This paper summarizes the main results of the past decade ant outlines necessities for future research in cod reproduction biology in the Baltic Sea.

In the year of its foundation, in 1870, the German Fisheries Association proposed that a commission should be formed for the strengthening of the German coastal and high sea fisheries by research. The resulting Prussian "Commission zur Erforschung der Deutschen Meere" Commission for Scientific Research on German Seas) in Kiel started its work on July 13th, 1870. With 125 years of organization and scientific continuity, the original institutions were transformed by internal and external influences into the Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei and the Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Kommission für Meeresforschung (Federal Research Center for Fisheries; German Scientific Commission for Marine Research) of today. Their actual fisheries research is of special importance due to the background of increased fisheries activities against decreasing fish stocks.