Cod

Gadus morhua

CommonGadidaeHarmless

ID points

A single prominent short barbel under the chin
Three dorsal fins and two anal fins, all separate
White lateral line along the side, curving upwards

Basics

Family: Gadidae
Length: 60–120 cm
Depth: 10-600 m
Regions: Temperate & polar
Distribution: Cold waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific
Habitat: Cold coastal shelf waters
Diet: Small fish, crustaceans

Easily confused with

CobiaA dark brown stripe edged in white along the flank

SalmonGrey-green back with fine dense black spots; silvery white belly

Sand Tiger SharkMouth full of slender pointed teeth flaring outwards, showing even when closed

Fun fact

A cod can release 5 million eggs at a single spawning, among the highest counts of any fish, yet fewer than 0.001% of them survive, barely 500 fish out of ten such spawnings. Overfishing all but collapsed the Newfoundland cod stock off Canada in 1992.

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