Northeast Saltwater Fishing

Atlantic Cod

February 2, 2006 on 9:29 pm | In Fishing, Marine Species |

The Atlantic Cod is a widely marketed food fish in the United States and Europe. It is a bottom-dwelling species that occurs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Greenland, and from Iceland southward along the European coast to the Bay of Biscay off France and Spain. Four geographically distinct stocks are hypothesized for Atlantic Cod in American waters: Georges Banks, Gulf of Maine, Nantucket Shoals, and the Mid-Atlantic Bight. All but the last are believed to be nonmigratory. The species inhabits waters that are 32° to 50°F, and range from 200 to 1,300 feet in depth. Cod have heavy, tapering bodies, three dorsal fins and two anal fins, and a prominent chin barbel. The species may be distinguished from its relative the Pollock, Pollachius virens, by the projecting upper jaw. Although many color phases have been noted for Cod, most fish are either olive-green or deep red. Green, brown, or reddish spots occur along the back and sides, sometimes extending onto the fins.

Sexually mature fish, those older than 3 years, spawn in December and January off the Mid-Atlantic Bight, and from February through April farther north. Fecundity ranges from about 1 to 9 million eggs depending on the size of the fish. The eggs are transparent and buoyant and hatch in approximately 40 days at 32°F, and in 17 days when the surface water temperature is 41°F The slow-growing Atlantic Cod is capable of living for about 22 years. Cod feed on, or near the bottom, on many kinds of animals. Favorite foods are crabs, worms, clams, and fishes.

Fishing - Atlantic Cod are caught by anglers fishing from small private boats and party boats, and by commercial fishermen using hook and line, traps, and trawls. Commercial fishing vessels may be as small as one-man dories, or as large as 2,000-ton trawlers. Fishermen have braved the fog-shrouded, cold waters of the North Atlantic for hundreds of years fishing for Cod. Disembarking from larger vessels to their dories, men made their lonely and often dangerous treks to and from the fishing grounds.

Today, most Cod are caught from ships operating off Iceland, in the Barents Sea, off Newfoundland and Greenland, and in the Norwegian Sea. The most productive fishing areas are between the 35th and 80th north parallels. The Atlantic Cod is but one of many species of bottomfish that support important commercial fisheries along the northeastern United States. Besides the Cod and Pollock, others are Silver Hake, Meriuccius bilinearis, Atlantic Tomcod, Microgadus torn-cod, Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus, and Atlantic Halibut, Flippoglossus hippo glossus.

Preparation - Cod are marketed fresh, frozen, and salted. A suggested dish is Cod Soufflé. The ingredients are 1 cup of cooked, flaked fish, 2 cups of chopped potatoes, 2 tablespoons of cream, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of butter, and ¼ teaspoon of white pepper. Place the fish and potatoes in enough boiling water to cover them, and boil until the potatoes are done. Drain thoroughly, mash the fish and potatoes, and beat them well with a fork, adding white pepper, butter, and cream. Beat in well-stirred yolks of 2 eggs, and fold in the well-whipped egg whites. Pour the soufflé mixture into a greased baking dish and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until it is brown. Serve with pickles, horseradish, or fresh cucumbers.