Top Poor Cod Fishing Countries

The poor cod (*Trisopterus minutus*) is a small, schooling marine fish found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, particularly along the coasts of Europe from Norway to Portugal, including the Mediterranean and North Sea. Recognizable by its slender body and reddish-brown coloration, the poor cod is often caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries targeting more commercially valuable species. While not a primary target for most commercial fisheries due to its modest size and lower market demand, it is still harvested in significant quantities, particularly by countries with active demersal trawl fleets. The top countries fishing for poor cod include the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Portugal, where it is sometimes processed for fishmeal, animal feed, or sold fresh in local markets. The poor cod fishery is relatively small compared to those for larger cod species, but it remains an important part of the mixed-species trawl fisheries in these regions.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.