Saltwater / Benthic / Demersal
Pacific Cod
Gadus macrocephalus
Elongated body with a light brown to gray coloration, featuring a distinct marbled or mottled pattern on its sides. It has three dorsal fins, two anal fins, and a prominent chin barbel. The lateral line is pale and curves over the pectoral fin.
- Habitat
- Found in the North Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Berin…
- Size & weight
- Typically ranges from 45 to 90 cm in length, with a maxi…
- Diet
- Opportunistic feeders that consume a variety of prey inc…
Identified More saltwater / benthic / demersal →
Learn more about Pacific Cod in the encyclopedia →Identify your own catch.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical characteristics
Elongated body with a light brown to gray coloration, featuring a distinct marbled or mottled pattern on its sides. It has three dorsal fins, two anal fins, and a prominent chin barbel. The lateral line is pale and curves over the pectoral fin.
Habitat & distribution
Found in the North Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Bering Sea to Southern California and over to Japan. They typically inhabit continental shelf and upper slope waters, preferring depths between 50 and 300 meters on sandy or muddy bottoms.
Behavior
Generally a schooling species that undergoes seasonal migrations from deep water in winter to shallower water in summer. They are primarily active during the day but can feed around the clock.
Diet
Opportunistic feeders that consume a variety of prey including shrimp, crabs, small fish (such as herring or sand lance), and octopuses. They use their barbel to sense prey on the seafloor.
Reproduction
Spawning occurs in late winter and spring on the seafloor in deep water. Females can release millions of eggs per season, which sink to the bottom until they hatch into larvae that drift with currents.
Ecological role
An important mid-level predator that regulates populations of smaller fish and invertebrates. They serve as a critical link in the food web, being preyed upon by marine mammals and larger fish as juveniles.
Similar species
Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua), which has a much shorter chin barbel; Walleye Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), which lacks the prominent barbel and has a more slender body; and Saffron Cod, which is smaller with a different fin structure.
Identification tips
Look for three distinct dorsal fins and a chin barbel that is approximately as long as the eye is wide. The mottled brown-gold pattern on the sides is also more pronounced than in similar-looking pollock.
Interesting facts
The Pacific Cod is often called 'grey cod' or 'true cod'. Unlike many other fish, their growth rates are highly sensitive to water temperature, making them 'sentinel species' for monitoring climate change impacts in the North Pacific.
Field notes
Juneau AK