Fish Facts

Quick, sourced fun facts about the fish you'll see in the picker.

Atlantic Cod

• Atlantic cod can live around 25 years and historically grew past 6 ft and 200 lb, though most cod caught today are a small fraction of that size. NOAA Fisheries — Atlantic Cod.
• Cod fishing literally shaped New England: a carved wooden "Sacred Cod" has hung in the Massachusetts State House since 1784 as a symbol of the industry's importance to the Commonwealth. Massachusetts General Court — Historical Artifacts.

Pacific Salmon

• Wild Pacific salmon return to spawn in the exact stream where they hatched, navigating with a combination of smell (olfactory imprinting) and Earth's magnetic field. USGS — How do salmon know their home stream?
• Their pink-to-orange flesh comes from astaxanthin, a carotenoid in the krill and small crustaceans they eat. Farmed salmon receive astaxanthin in their feed — without it, the flesh would be pale gray. NOAA Fisheries — Farmed Salmon.

Pacific Halibut

• Halibut hatch looking like a normal round fish with one eye on each side. As they mature, the left eye migrates across the skull so both eyes end up on the upper (dark) side and the fish lives flat on the seafloor. NOAA Fisheries — Pacific Halibut.
• Pacific halibut can exceed 500 lb and live 50+ years, making them one of the largest and longest-lived flatfish in the world. Alaska Department of Fish and Game — Pacific Halibut.

Sources are linked inline. If you spot an error, please let us know.