Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (north Atlantic): Atlantic tomcod. [Microgadus tomcod]

The Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) is of regional importance in a winter recreational sport fishery. Tomcod are widespread along coastal regions of the northeast coast of the United States. They are abundant in estuarine habitats such as river mouths and saltmarshes, and thus are subject to a wide variety of anthropogenic sources of disturbance. Tomcod spawn from November to March. Young-of-the-year remain in the estuary where they were spawned during succeeding summer months. Adults live in full-strength seawater to freshwater, but eggs and larvae have narrower salinity requirements.