Gadus macrocephalus

ALSO KNOWN AS Cod, Alaska cod, True cod

Pacific cod is a mild-tasting fish that can essentially be used interchangeably with its Atlantic relative, although Pacific cod fillets are larger and thicker than Atlantic cod fillets. Raw Pacific cod is opaque and creamy white, while cooked cod is white, lean, and flaky. Cod is a good source of low-fat protein, phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B12.

Pacific cod are sometimes known as grey cod because of their colour – they’re brown or grayish with dark spots or patterns on the sides and a paler underside. They have a long chin barbell (a whisker-like organ near the mouth, like on a catfish) and dusky fins with white edges. Pacific cods have three separate dorsal fins. They are a fast-growing fish, and can reach up to 6 feet in length (although this is rare). Pacific cod school together and move seasonally from deep waters where they spawn, to shallow-water feeding grounds. They are found from Bering Sea to Southern California and prefer habitats of mud, sand, and clay.

Pacific cod are typically harvested along with several different gorundfish species with longlines (hook and line) and bottom trawl gear. Pots (or traps) and jig gear are also sometimes used. In the Gulf of Alaska, the dominant gear over the last decade has been pots. These fish account for the second largest commercial groundfish catch off Alaska and virtually all of the United States.

Coldfish’s Pacific cod is available fresh or frozen, and as fillets and portions. Custom cutting is also available.