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[[Image:Cod.jpg|thumb|A Cod]]

[[Image:Cod.jpg|thumb|A Cod]]

'''Cod''' is a cold-water species that is distributed on the continental shelves and in the coastal waters of the northern North Atlantic. The range extends from the Bay of Biscay and the Baltic Sea to the Barents Sea, around Iceland, along the southern Greenland and along Newfoundland to North Carolina in North America.  

'''Cod''' is a cold-water species that is distributed on the continental shelves and in the coastal waters of the northern North [[Atlantic]]. The range extends from the Bay of Biscay and the Baltic Sea to the Barents Sea, around [[Iceland]], along the southern [[Greenland]] and along Newfoundland to North Carolina in North [[America]].  

==Taxonomy==

==Taxonomy==

*About 10% of the world fish catch is cod.

*About 10% of the world fish catch is cod.

*The official state fish of Massachusetts is the Cod fish. It has been a symbol of the Commonwealth for more than 200 years.  Cod fish was so important for Massachusetts that on March 17, 1784, according to the Journal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives: "Mr. John Rowe moved the House that leave might be given to hang up the representation of a Cod Fish in the room where the House sit, as a memorial of the importance of the Cod Fishery to the welfare of this Commonwealth."  It is still kept in the present House chamber.

*The official state fish of [[Massachusetts]] is the Cod fish. It has been a symbol of the Commonwealth for more than 200 years.  Cod fish was so important for Massachusetts that on March 17, 1784, according to the Journal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives: "Mr. John Rowe moved the House that leave might be given to hang up the representation of a Cod Fish in the room where the House sit, as a memorial of the importance of the Cod Fishery to the welfare of this Commonwealth."  It is still kept in the present House chamber.

*Codfish live to an average of 15 years or so, with a record of 27 years old from the 1960s. You can tell a cod's age from the two white earstones in the skull (otoliths), which have annual growth rings. You really can not tell the age from their weight, as the rate of growth will vary, depending on the water temperature, population size, food, etc.

*Codfish live to an average of 15 years or so, with a record of 27 years old from the 1960s. You can tell a cod's age from the two white earstones in the skull (otoliths), which have annual growth rings. You really can not tell the age from their weight, as the rate of growth will vary, depending on the water temperature, population size, food, etc.