# Atlantic Cod — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*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.

**IUCN status:** Vulnerable  ·  **WARN range:** Europe, North America, Oceans

## Quick facts
| Fact | 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) |

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

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Vulnerable (IUCN Red List category)
- **Population:** Global population not compiled for this guide
- **Trend:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **Assessed:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **CITES:** See CITES appendices
- Conservation figures are drawn from the IUCN Red List and CITES; this guide links to the authoritative sources rather than restating population counts.

## Key facts: Atlantic Cod
- 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.
- A whisker-like barbel on the chin helps cod detect prey on the seafloor — worms, crabs, and smaller fish.
- Fish and chips, bacalao, and lutefisk all depend on cod.

## 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.

## What WARN does
WARN does not run a dedicated atlantic cod programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The atlantic cod faces documented conservation pressure in the wild, which is why clear, sourced public information about it matters. Building public understanding of species like the atlantic cod supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.

## Frequently asked questions: Atlantic Cod
### 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.

### What do atlantic cods eat?
Atlantic Cods eat Carnivore — fish, crustaceans, and worms. Atlantic cod is a cold-water groundfish that shaped the economies of Newfoundland, Iceland, and New England for centuries before overfishing collapsed many stocks.

### Are atlantic cods dangerous?
Atlantic Cods are not generally dangerous to people. Atlantic cod is a cold-water groundfish that shaped the economies of Newfoundland, Iceland, and New England for centuries before overfishing collapsed many stocks. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

### How long do atlantic cods live?
Atlantic Cods typically live Up to 25 years in the wild. Atlantic cod is a cold-water groundfish that shaped the economies of Newfoundland, Iceland, and New England for centuries before overfishing collapsed many stocks. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cod