Arctic Cod

(Boreogadus saida), a cold-water pelagic fish of the family Gadidae. The body reaches a length of 13–27 cm (rarely, 40 cm). The arctic cod is distributed throughout the Arctic Ocean. It spawns in winter, yielding 10,000 to 35,000 pelagic eggs. During autumn migrations, the fishes form aggregates. They feed on plankton and young fishes. The arctic cod is the principal food of many marine mammals, birds, and fishes. Its commercial significance is minor.