Pollack

Pollack is a fish in the cod family found in the northeastern Atlantic, closely related to but distinct from the walleye pollock of the North Pacific. It has an elongated, streamlined body and a distinctive curved lateral line, and unlike most other cod relatives it lacks a chin barbel. Pollack are common around rocky reefs, kelp beds, and wrecks from Norway and Iceland south to the Bay of Biscay and the western Mediterranean. The species is a popular sport fish throughout its range and is frequently encountered by divers around structured rocky habitat. Pollack coloration and body shape give it a sleeker, more predatory appearance than deeper-bodied relatives such as bib or cod.

Pollack have a torpedo-shaped, streamlined body suited to active swimming near reef structure.

• Greenish-brown to bronze back fading to silvery sides and a pale belly
• Strongly curved lateral line arching over the pectoral fin before straightening
• Protruding lower jaw, giving an underbite appearance
• No chin barbel, unlike cod, hake, and bib
• Three dorsal fins and two anal fins

The absence of a barbel combined with the pronounced curved lateral line and protruding lower jaw are the clearest ways to separate pollack from true cod and from other relatives such as bib, which retain a barbel and lack the same jaw profile.

Pollack range through the northeastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland south to the Bay of Biscay, Portugal, and parts of the western Mediterranean. They favor rocky reefs, kelp forests, wrecks, and areas of strong current where they can intercept passing prey, typically from close inshore water down to around 200 meters. Juveniles often use shallow inshore rocky habitat and harbors as nurseries, while larger adults tend to hold near deeper reef structure, pinnacles, and wrecks offshore. Pollack favor cooler temperate waters and are commonly encountered by divers hovering in mid-water near vertical reef structure rather than resting directly on the bottom.

Pollack are active, often loosely schooling predators that hold position in currents near reef edges, wrecks, and kelp margins, darting out to intercept small fish and crustaceans rather than foraging directly along the bottom. Younger pollack in particular often form conspicuous schools in mid-water, while larger adults become more solitary and hold near specific structure. Spawning takes place offshore in winter, producing pelagic eggs and larvae that drift before juveniles settle into shallow nursery habitat. Pollack are considered a popular sport fish across much of their range because of their active behavior near structure. Ecologically, they serve as significant mid-level predators around temperate rocky reef systems.