The Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) is a benthopelagic fish that is endemic to the Atlantic ocean. These fish are mostly bottom-feeders and eat mostly smaller fish, shrimp, crabs, worms, and mussels. They can grow to 5 feet long and weigh up to 77 lbs. These fish can live for a long time, reaching up to 20 years in the wild. They spawn on the sea bottom, and can lay up to 3 to 9 million eggs. They are capable of reproducing at just 2 to 3 years old, when they're only a foot long. Its habitat ranges from the coastal shoreline down to 305 m (1000 ft) along the continental shelf.
It is widely consumed by humans. Several cod stocks collapsed in the 1990s (declined by >95% of maximum historical biomass) and have failed to fully recover even with the cessation of fishing. This absence of the apex predator has led to a trophic cascade in many areas. Many other cod stocks remain at risk. The Atlantic cod is labelled vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.