At its meeting during 5–19 June 1996, the Standing Committee on Publications (STACPUB) noted that the extensive scientific review of the Cod Stock in NAFO Div. 2J and 3KL conducted by the Scientific Council consisted of a group of papers suitable for a single publication of NAFO Scientific Council Studies. At its meeting during 7–13 September 1996, STACPUB invited J. Morgan, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Newfoundland, Canada, to undertake the coordination of the papers for this publication.

At its meeting during 2–16 June 1993, the Scientific Council noted that a complete scientific review of results from the Northern Cod Science Program of Canada was scheduled for late-1994, and the coordinator of the Program, J. S. Campbell, should be invited to consider a NAFO publication for a collection of papers. The Council noted a group of papers dealing with Northern Cod presented at its June 1993 meeting appeared suitable for a single publication. At its meeting during 7–10 September 1993, the Council expressed its appreciation to J. S. Campbell for accepting this task, and the Secretariat undertook to complete the publication by the end of 1994.