Head to head
Pollack vs Atlantic Cod
Pollack
VS Atlantic Cod
The pollack and the Atlantic cod are close relatives in the cod family that share the north-eastern Atlantic, and anglers and cooks often meet them side by side.
| Pollack | Atlantic Cod | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pollachius pollachius | Gadus morhua |
| Relationship | A fellow member of the cod family | The best-known member of the cod family |
| Jaw and barbel | A lower jaw that projects beyond the upper, and no barbel on its chin | A single, sensitive barbel hanging from its chin, packed with taste buds |
| Lateral line | A dark lateral line that curves up over the pectoral fin | A pale lateral line on a mottled body |
| Size | Usually 40 to 70 cm long, though larger fish occur | Typically 0.5 to 1 m, and up to about 40 kg |
| Hunting | Hunts in mid-water over rocky reefs, kelp, and wrecks, often rising high in the water to take prey near the surface | Feeds on herring, capelin, sand lance, crabs, and worms, using its barbel to find prey hidden in sand or mud |
| Human importance | A prized quarry of rod anglers, with catches managed in some areas | Salted and dried cod became a foundational trade good for European exploration and colonisation of North America |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, though fishing pressure has reduced stocks in some areas | Vulnerable, with several major stocks still far below historic levels |
Pollack vs Atlantic Cod: common questions
How can you tell a pollack from a cod?
A pollack has a lower jaw that projects beyond the upper and no barbel on its chin, whereas a cod has a single chin barbel.
Which one lives over reefs?
The pollack, which hunts in mid-water over rocky reefs, kelp, and wrecks, while the cod feeds mostly on or near the bottom.
Which one is Vulnerable?
The Atlantic cod, with several major stocks still far below their historic levels, while the pollack is Least Concern.