Haddock

Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) is a species of fish in the cod family Gadidae. It is native to the cold and temperate waters of the North Atlantic, with a distribution that includes the waters off eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and western Europe. It is common around the North Sea and the Norwegian-Barents regions and ranges south to the Bay of Biscay. The haddock is a demersal species that typically inhabits the continental shelf and upper slope, on sandy or muddy bottoms, at depths of roughly 20 to 300 meters.

Physically, the haddock has an elongated body and a silvery gray coloration with a darker lateral line along the flank. It feeds on a varied diet that includes crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish.

Haddock is an important commercial fish, widely caught by commercial trawlers and used for fresh fillets, frozen products, and processed foods. It is also associated with smoked haddock, a common ingredient in many dishes.

Reproduction occurs mainly in late winter to spring; females release pelagic eggs that drift in the surface waters and hatch into larvae that grow to reach the fishable size after several years. The species faces fishing pressure in some areas, and stock levels are monitored by regional fishery management organizations with quotas and area closures to maintain sustainable yields.