Cod

Most valuable of all the Icelandic fish stocks is Cod (Gadus Morhua). Drastic measures to safeguard this species have been developed and is under a real-time refinement over the years. Some of these measures like releasing them into fishery at the age 4-6 and the use of a regulated trawl mesh 130-155mm to reduce the catch of toddler fish.

Gadus Morhua grows over a meter long with medium lifespan and a mature fish weigh up to 20-30 kg. Maturing at a typical age ranging 7-9 years, cod has maintained a mortality rate at 0.2

Cod prey on small crustaceans like capelin, shrimps and sand-eel and are an accomplished omnivorous in their ecosystem. The size and weight of cod is apparently pegged on the abundance of the aforementioned prey. Typically, cod species is not a prey to any sea animals except that older cod may potentially be vulnerable to some sea mammals. Cod is coloured brown and green, shading on the ventral side and some spots on the dorsal with a lateral line conspicuously visible.

Cod spawn during late winter in the south-West regions, from here the larvae migrates to the north where there is a diversity of food resources. This food diversity is the reason for Cod’s biological success. As the larvae grow larger, their main diet changes to benthic invertebrates. When they attain the size 20-30cm they drift o shrimp although this is not the limited diet. At maturity, other diets like capelin and red fishes are added to their diet.