Cod Fish

A detailed Summary of Cod Fish

The North Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) is on of 59 species of the family Gadidae. Since the discovery of the New World, the North Atlantic Cod has been the dominant commercial fishery species of the Northwest Atlantic.

This particular species of Cod have three fins on their back, and two fins on the underside near the tale. The North Atlantic Cod is a bottom dwelling fish that inhabits cold waters. They are capable of living up to 22 years. Most adult Cod range from 2-3 feet in length and 5-25 pounds. But cod up to 6 feet and 212 pounds have been recorded. They are capable of living up to 22 years. The Cod is a major food fish, 2nd only to the herring. The North Atlantic Cod migrate in response to seasonal change in water temperature. Cod also migrate to search for food. Mature cod eat small fish, squid, and shellfish. Small cod usually feed on worms and small shrimp.

Like most fish, the North Atlantic Cod have special times and places to lay eggs. The female cod normally lay their eggs between January and March. Some of the most important spawning grounds are found in offshore banks off of the coast of New England, along the coasts of Greenland and Iceland, Hamilton Bank and the Grand Bank of Newfoundland. Other tradi

tional spots include George's Bank, Labrador, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and South Grand Bank. An adult female cod lays between 4 to 6 million eggs at a single spawning. These eggs are released into the water to become fertilized. They develop and grow without the help of parents. All but a handful of these million eggs will end up as food for other fish. Normally a deep-water fish but they come into shallower water to spawn.

The Atlantic Cod fishery was one of the primary reasons for the development of the Northern Atlantic. The cod was very valuable to fisherman for many reasons. Cod is a very lean fish with approximately 0.3% fat. When dried, it becomes almost 80% protein and preserves well. In the early days of cod trade there was no refrigeration and therefore preservation was very important. Dried Cod also tasted better than other types of fish. At that time, the Catholic Church dictated that meat could not be eaten on Fridays and other holy days, their dried cod provided a cheap alternative. The Cod is a very useful fish: we get glue from the Cod's skin, it's a source of high grade protein, it's an important source of Vitamin A and Vitamin D, it's a source of Cod Liver Oil. As the second major food fish, we get many types of foods with cod: Cod Fish cakes, Fish Fillets, Cod Antipasto, Cod Chowder, smoked cod and many, many more.

There has been a trend towards cooler towards cooler temperatures in the 80's and 90's, there has also been a shift in the cod populations toward the south. Some scient

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Category: Science