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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →No. The two fish most commonly called pollock—Alaska pollock and Atlantic pollock—are marine species that live in the ocean, not freshwater species. They occupy different ocean basins and habitats, so the common name does not refer to just one fish. NOAA Fisheries identifies Alaska pollock as a North Pacific fish, while its Atlantic pollock profile places that species in the Northwest Atlantic.
Where does pollock live?
Alaska pollock lives in the North Pacific
Alaska pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), also called walleye pollock or Pacific pollock, is distributed across the North Pacific, with its largest concentrations in the eastern Bering Sea. NOAA Fisheries describes it as a semipelagic schooling fish: it occupies the water column rather than living exclusively on the seabed. Younger fish use midwater, while older fish—typically age five and up—tend to stay nearer the ocean floor.
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NOAA reports that Alaska pollock schools are usually found at 330–985 feet, though fish are sometimes found as deep as 3,300 feet. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game species profile likewise describes walleye pollock at near-surface, midwater, and near-bottom depths; it says most catches occur between 50 and 300 meters. These are ocean depths, not freshwater habitats.
Atlantic pollock lives in the Northwest Atlantic
Atlantic pollock (Pollachius virens) occurs in the Northwest Atlantic, especially around the western Scotian Shelf and Gulf of Maine. Its habitat shifts as it grows: eggs and larvae are in the water column, juveniles occur inshore and move offshore with age, and adults live offshore near the ocean floor over sand, mud, rocks, or vegetation.
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Young Atlantic pollock may shelter in intertidal seaweed beds. “Inshore” and “intertidal” describe coastal marine settings, where seawater reaches and recedes from the shore; they do not mean a river or lake.
Are Alaska pollock and Atlantic pollock the same fish?
No. They are different species in different genera, despite sharing the common name “pollock.” Their ranges and life-stage habitats are distinct:
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| Common name | Scientific name | Ocean range | Habitat pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska pollock (walleye or Pacific pollock) | Gadus chalcogrammus | North Pacific, especially the eastern Bering Sea | Younger fish use midwater; older fish tend to be nearer the ocean floor. |
| Atlantic pollock | Pollachius virens | Northwest Atlantic | Juveniles can be inshore; adults are offshore near the ocean floor. |
Use the species name when a detail needs to be precise: a range, habitat description, or fishery fact about one pollock should not automatically be applied to the other.
Can pollock live in rivers or lakes?
The NOAA profiles describe Alaska pollock and Atlantic pollock as ocean-dwelling marine fish, not freshwater species. They do not establish that either fish uses rivers or lakes as its habitat. Because “pollock” is a common name, this answer applies to those two species rather than every possible local use of the word.
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