No—the cod most people mean is a saltwater fish. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) live in the ocean. “Freshwater cod” usually means burbot, a different species that lives in lakes and rivers.
Which fish are true cod?
The word cod commonly refers to Atlantic cod and Pacific cod. Both are marine fish associated with cold, coastal North Pacific or North Atlantic waters, not inland freshwater.
| Fish | Scientific name | Water and range | Habitat and movement | Fishery context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic cod | Gadus morhua | Marine Atlantic waters, from Greenland to Cape Hatteras; U.S. concentrations include Georges Bank and the western Gulf of Maine | Near the ocean floor, commonly about 30–500 feet deep, over coarse sediments and rocky slopes | NOAA Fisheries recorded 1.4 million pounds landed, valued at $2.8 million in 2024 |
| Pacific cod | Gadus macrocephalus | Marine coastal North Pacific, including the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and waters toward the Sea of Japan | Near the seabed; adults shift seasonally between deeper shelf-edge areas and shallower feeding grounds | NOAA Fisheries recorded approximately 375 million pounds harvested, valued at $106 million in 2024 |
| Burbot, often called “freshwater cod” | Not stated in the supplied NOAA comparison | Freshwater lakes and rivers | The only freshwater gadiform identified in NOAA’s eastern North Pacific guide; it is not Atlantic or Pacific cod | Not stated |
Can cod live in a lake?
Atlantic cod and Pacific cod are adapted to marine environments. They are not freshwater-lake fish, and moving either species into a lake would not turn it into a freshwater species. A lake fish sold or described as “freshwater cod” is generally burbot rather than true cod.
What is freshwater cod?
“Freshwater cod” is a common-name shortcut for burbot. NOAA’s guide to eastern North Pacific gadiforms identifies burbot as the only gadiform species in that guide that occurs in freshwater. The name can mislead shoppers and anglers because burbot is not the same species as Atlantic cod or Pacific cod.
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Why the name causes confusion
Common names are not a reliable map of habitat or close biological identity. Several unrelated or more distantly related fish can carry “cod” in a common name. The freshwater label describes where burbot lives; it does not describe Atlantic cod or Pacific cod.
Atlantic cod: ocean range and habitat
Atlantic cod live in the Northwest Atlantic from Greenland to Cape Hatteras, with U.S. concentrations on Georges Bank and in the western Gulf of Maine. They stay near the ocean floor, including rocky slopes and ledges, generally in cold water and commonly at about 30–500 feet. These are marine conditions, not the habitat of a typical inland lake.
Pacific cod: ocean range and seasonal behavior
Pacific cod occupy the coastal North Pacific, including the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and waters toward the Sea of Japan. Adults remain near the bottom and move seasonally: they may use deeper shelf-edge habitat at one time of year and shallower feeding grounds at another. Those movements occur within the sea, not between saltwater and freshwater lakes.
How to identify the fish being discussed
- Atlantic cod or Pacific cod: the subject is a marine food fish from an ocean fishery.
- “Freshwater cod” in a lake or river context: the name usually refers to burbot.
- A product label or menu: check the scientific name or species description when the common name is ambiguous.
Why cod is commercially important
Cod is a major seafood category, but the two principal cod species come from marine fisheries. NOAA Fisheries reported 2024 Atlantic cod landings of 1.4 million pounds worth $2.8 million and Pacific cod harvest of approximately 375 million pounds worth $106 million. Those figures describe commercial ocean fisheries, not freshwater-cod production.
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