# Atlantic Cod (*Gadus morhua*)

> Atlantic cod is a cold-water groundfish that shaped the economies of Newfoundland, Iceland, and New England for centuries before overfishing collapsed many stocks. Growing to 40 kg (88 lb) and living 25 years, it supports fisheries where recovered and remains Vulnerable in the northwest Atlantic.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Cold continental shelf waters of the North Atlantic from North America and Greenland to Iceland, Norway, and the Barents Sea — historic spawning grounds on Grand Banks and North Sea.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cod/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Actinopterygii
- **Order:** Gadiformes
- **Family:** Gadidae
- **Genus:** Gadus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Gadus morhua |
| Diet | Carnivore — fish, crustaceans, and worms |
| Habitat | Cold continental shelf waters of the North Atlantic |
| Lifespan | Up to 25 years in the wild |
| Weight | 2–40 kg (4–88 lb); most market fish 2–8 kg |
| Top speed | Steady swimmer; schooling migrations |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## Historic fishery collapse

Northwest Atlantic cod stocks crashed in 1992 when Canada's Grand Banks fishery closed — one of history's most famous fishery collapses after centuries of seemingly unlimited harvest. Recovery has been partial and slow, illustrating how even prolific species can be depleted.

## Barbel and bottom feeding

A whisker-like barbel on the chin helps cod detect prey on the seafloor — worms, crabs, and smaller fish. Cod migrate between shallow spawning grounds and deeper feeding areas, historically forming dense shoals that made them easy targets for trawlers.

## Cultural and culinary importance

Fish and chips, bacalao, and lutefisk all depend on cod. Basque and Viking fishermen pursued cod across the Atlantic for centuries before modern industrial trawling. Cod liver oil supplied vitamin D to generations of children.

## Modern management

Listed Vulnerable, Atlantic cod fisheries are now regulated with quotas, closed areas, and gear restrictions. Icelandic and Northeast Arctic stocks are healthier than Northwest Atlantic populations. Climate change shifts spawning grounds northward, complicating recovery.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why did cod collapse?

Decades of industrial trawling removed fish faster than they could reproduce, combined with poor management and environmental shifts — the 1992 moratorium on Canada's Grand Banks is the landmark example.

### Is cod still overfished?

Some stocks remain depleted or Vulnerable, especially in the northwest Atlantic. Northeast Atlantic and Icelandic fisheries are more sustainable under strict quotas.

### What is bacalao?

Salted and dried cod — a staple of Portuguese, Spanish, and Caribbean cuisine preserved for centuries before refrigeration.

### How big do Atlantic cod get?

Typically 2–8 kg in fisheries, but individuals can exceed 40 kg and live 25 years in unfished populations.

### Where do Atlantic cod live?

Cold waters of the North Atlantic from North America to Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and the Barents Sea — on continental shelves and banks.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Gadus morhua.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Gadus%20morhua&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Gadus morhua. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gadus_morhua/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cod/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.