The effects of different combinations of nutritional background, feeding regimes and dietary compositions on growth responses of the Atlantic cod have been examined Alternating short periods (1-3 weeks) of food deprivation with unlimited prowslon of food depressed growth below that of controls, but cod that were fed on alternate weeks (1 1) were larger than those that were exposed to 2 or 3 week periods of deprlvahon and feeding (2 2 or 3 3) Thus, periods of food deprwatmn of short duration were insufficient to reduce any marked compensatory growth response When cod were deprived of food for longer periods a compensatory growth response was observed On receiving excess food supplies following 8 weeks of food deprivation the fish grew more rapidly than the controls and had completely recovered body weight within 12 weeks The greatest compensatory growth response was shown by cod in poor condition (lowest condition factor), because at the end of an 18 week growth trial there were no differences In body weight between fish irrespectwe of their initial condition Both sexes displayed a compensatory growth response