Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua (Linnaeus, 1758), is one of the most popular food fish in the western world.
Atlantic cod come in a variety of colours, including grey, green, red and brown. They have a pale line along the side of their body, called a lateral line. Atlantic cod also have a single whisker-like barbel on their chin.
Atlantic cod
The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is a well-known food fish belonging to the family Gadidae. It grows to two metres (6 1/2 feet) in length. Coloring is brown to green on the dorsal side, shading to silver ventrally.
The Atlantic cod has a curved line along its body and a distinctive chin barbel. Colour varies from brownish to greenish or grey, becoming pale on its belly. It averages 4 kg in weight and 65 cm in length.
Can be Seen: ...
Atlantic Codfish (Average 6lbs to 12 lbs - Can weigh up to 25lbs) Found along the Coastal shores near Isle of Shoals. Native to most of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
Tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus)
Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus) ...
Atlantic cod is listed as vulnerable by IUCN
How many?
Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Greenland cod (Gadus ogac).
The Atlantic cod has two distinct color phases, gray-green and reddish brown. Its average weight is 10 to 25 lb (4.5-11.3 kg), but specimens weighing up to 200 lb (90 kg) have been recorded.
Gadus morhua (Atlantic cod)
Lota lota (Burbot)
Melanogrammus aeglefinus (Haddock)
Molva molva (Common ling)
Trisopterus luscus (Trisopterus luscus) ...
Since the decline in cod stocks has made the Atlantic cod harder to catch, cod replacements are marketed under names of the form "x cod", and culinary rather than phyletic similarity has governed the emergence of these names.
Common Murre: Feeds on polar cod, capelin, sprat, sand eels, small Atlantic cod, and herring; also eats marine worms, amphipods, shrimp, and mollusks.
Small striped bass are eaten by other fish such as Atlantic tomcod, Atlantic cod, silver hake and larger striped bass. Adult striped bass have few predators except humans.
Harp Seals are hunted annually to cull populations, mainly to benefit fisheries. There are varied theories about the decline of the North Atlantic Cod. Some blame the growing numbers of Harp Seals.
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Fish Conservation: As of 2006, the IUCN Red List describes 1,173 species of fish as being threatened with extinction. Included on this list are species such as Atlantic cod, Devil's Hole pupfish, coelacanths, and great white sharks.
Your local library must have tons of info on fisheries. Try looking in current magazines and newspapers as the closing of the Atlantic cod fishery caused quite a stir and fishing was making headlines all the time!
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Gill netting by lumpfish and Atlantic cod fisheries kill significant numbers of Razorbills. Development, recreation, timber harvesting, aquaculture, and disturbance on seabird islands also impact Razorbills.
 See also: Cod, Mola, Hagfish, Herring, Crustacean
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