Marine life profile
Cod
Recorded at 166 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Cod around the world
Cod (pl.: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae. It follows a daily rhythm of feeding, sheltering and interacting with rivals, partners or a larger school.
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Use body shape, fin outline, color pattern and swimming style to separate it from the surrounding reef community.
How It Behaves
It follows a daily rhythm of feeding, sheltering and interacting with rivals, partners or a larger school.
Special Ability
Precise fins and a body shaped for its niche let it turn, hover or accelerate exactly where food and shelter demand.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Move slowly at the same depth, avoid swimming directly at it and let the fish resume its normal behavior.
Safety
Usually safe to observe at a respectful distance. Never feed, corner or touch a fish, especially near nests or cleaning stations.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
Cod is also used as part of the common name for several other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus Gadus is not commonly called cod (Alaska pollock, Gadus chalcogrammus).
Where to Find
Look around coral structure, rocky reef, wrecks and current lines where shelter and food meet.
Known countries
Sightings map
Cod locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
The Cod Hole
Australia
When visiting the Ribbon Reefs, a visit to the Cod Hole is an absolute must! You start by making an easy decent down to the sandy bottom around 8 meters, and then begin cruising towards the channel that separates Ribbon 10 from Cormorant reef. It usually doesn't;t take long before we are joined by an enormous resident Potato Cod. reaching up to 6 feet in length, and behaving like a labrador, these gentle giants are a sight to behold. After some selfie time with the Cod, we can continue exploring, the blue waters. Reef sharks are also often seen, along with schooling sweetlips and snapper. On the rare occasion that the current isn't too strong, we can venture out to the deeper area, where legend has it, pygymy seahorses can be found...
Aldermens- Bishops Hat
New Zealand
This dive site the Bishop’s Hat offers a bit of everything as here we have a cave, wall and a magnitude of species that frequent here. Bishop’s Hat is exposed to weather from the east, and south east
Aldermens- Mooring Bay
New Zealand
Mooring Bay is one of the more common spots for those who want to experience the Alderman’s without the depth and current. Ideal training bay with a shallow anchoring area with sand.
Ancient mine
Greece
This spot offers easy access to the water, with a small path winding through trees and leading to a rocky platform resembling a natural pool.After passing through a shallow area, you’ll reach a reef that starts at 8 meters and slopes down to 30 meters.
Arrecife Norte
Colombia
This dive site is located at the northern end of the reef platform that makes up Isla Fuerte. Its shallowest part is at 8 meters deep, going to 15 meters on a vertical wall, after which it descends between coral mounds to a maximum depth of 24 meters.
Bajo de los Pargos
Colombia
Located on the western edge of the island shelf, this dive site, with depths from 50 feet (15 meters) to 80 feet (24 meters), offers wonderful dives for divers of all experience levels.Shoals of shy snappers, which eventually come out of hiding, give this site its name.
Balolo Reef
Fiji
5 minute boat ride away. Submerged reef. Depth range 12-25m. Wall drop-offs, coral garden. Site is perfect for all diver levels, from beginner to advanced.
Black Rocks Lagoon
New Zealand
This dive site is one for everyone, inside the lagoon is a fish shallow bay with plenty of fish and kelp around the edges. the outer reef system are big pins with nice gullies to swim in. The outer reef is a deeper dive and is very exposed to wind, swell and current.
Blanche Wall
Solomon Islands
Twenty mins Southeast of Papatura lies Blanches Wall, a wall stretching approximately three kilometres in length. The depth ranges from three meters down to forty+ meters. This site gets bi-directional currents influenced by tidal movements. Open site can get large swell but there is always some area protected.
Block 24
Fiji
Another lovely shore dive with lots of fish life, it can also be done by a boat drop just 3 or 4-minutes (1km) from the resort, visibility is typically low at around 6m/20’ however excellent for searching for critters and can be dived 24-hours a day. This is best dived on an incoming tide. Enjoy!
BRONZIE BAY - GMI
New Zealand
Can be a popular fishing and diving spot on GMI, a lot of boats pass by as well so be wary. always have your dive flag up. Being a popular spot can be under a bit of pressure over summer.
Bula Tula
Fiji
2 large pinnacles starting at 5m/15’ which are joined to a ridge dropping down to 21m/70’, best dived on an outgoing tide & down to approx. 16m/55’. Recommended for most skills & comfort levels. Lots of swim-throughs, overhangs, canyons with plenty to see, go slow, have fun & take your time.
C-59 Wreck
Mexico
This wreck sits in 70ft/18m of water. It is suitable for Open Water or Advanced Open Water divers. American military boat that was given to the Mexican government in order to create an artificial reef.
Cleio Shipwreck
Greece
On the southern side of the small island of Dipsa, at a depth of 27 meters, lies the shipwreck of Cleio, an iron ship that sank in 1904.The tiny island of Dipsa rises sharply like a rocky pinnacle in the middle of the Evoikos Gulf, crowned by a small lighthouse at its summit.
Coral Awegasm
Fiji
8 minute boat ride away. Fringing reef. Situated amongst 9 other dive sites, Coral Awegasm is great for beginner divers to advanced. Filled with coral garden, sheer walls and caverns.
Coral Garden Oman
Oman
Wall dive drift dive sometimes wall in the left hand side. Rocky wall, soft and hard corals maximum depth 21 meters starting depth point 7 meters on sandy bottom.
Coral Garden West
Philippines
Easy but beautiful dive. In a lively garden of mainly hard corals with patches of sand in between all kinds of marine life can be observed at this spot.
D/S Martha Heinrich Fisser
Norway
Martha lies at a depth of 28 meters right next to Stråssa. In the same way as on all cargo ships in the port of Narvik, the superstructures have been removed here too, but there is still plenty to see.
D/S Romanby
Norway
The British steamship Romanby was anchored in Narvik harbour when she was hit by a torpedo from a British destroyer during the second naval battle between the German destroyers and the Allied forces on 10 April 1940 and sank.
Dive Point Coral reef
Philippines
It is located short swimming distance from the shore, just in front of Dive Point diving center. Drop of starts in coral rocks area at 5-6m and falling down to 25m. Fields of staghorn corals characterize this location in deeper part.
Dolphin Garden
Solomon Islands
Just off Papatura Ite, a long reef stretches out from the Island with beautiful coral. Max depth is around 17 metres so perfect for new divers and beginners. This can be 2 separate dives both having a unique diving experience
Donnier 26
Norway
Wreck of a German Seaplane. The plane is a bit broken up but most of the details are still there. The left ving is on top of the plane body which can be confusing before you realize it.
Dua Tale
Fiji
Dua Tale, meaning ONE MORE in Fijian is a series of coral heads & underwater canyons w/swim-through’s, lot’s of macro life, amazing soft & hard coral, & as the name suggests, everyone wants to do it ’one more time’, once is never enough.
El Gabito
Spain
A large rocky reef ranging from 12 to 30m deep. Its bottoms are characterized by kelp forests that predominate in spring and summer. Ideal dive for advanced divers. Its walls are decorated by anemones, sponges and gorgonians guarded by pintos, maragotas, octopuses, among others.