Pollock vs Cod: Taste, Price, Nutrition & What Fish Sticks Are Made Of

Pollock vs cod comes down to size, texture and price: both belong to the cod family (Gadidae), but Alaska pollock is a smaller fish with milder, softer flesh and finer flakes, while cod is slightly sweeter, firmer and breaks into large, moist flakes. Pollock is the fish inside most fish sticks, surimi “crab” and the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish; cod is the fish you pay more for in a fish-and-chips basket.

Buy pollock when you want a cheap, neutral white fish for breading, frying or a casserole. Buy cod when you want thick fillets with big flakes that hold together on the plate.

Pollock vs cod at a glance

	Alaska pollock	Cod (Atlantic and Pacific)
Taxonomy	Gadus chalcogrammus, cod family (Gadidae)	Gadus morhua (Atlantic) and Gadus macrocephalus (Pacific), same family
Where it lives	North Pacific, mostly the Bering Sea	North Atlantic from Greenland to North Carolina; North Pacific from the Bering Sea to California
Size	Typically 12–20 in and 1–3 lb	Atlantic cod reaches 51 in and 77 lb; Pacific cod grows to about 6 ft
Flavor	Mild, similar to cod or haddock (NOAA)	Mild and clean; Atlantic cod is sweeter than Pacific cod (NOAA)
Texture	Relatively fine; small, soft flakes	Large flakes, less firm than haddock; Pacific cod slightly softer and moister than Atlantic
Price	Cheapest fish in the family: 2024 Alaska landings worked out to about 14 cents per pound at the dock	Pacific cod about 28 cents per pound at the dock in 2024; Atlantic cod about $2; retail and menu prices run well above pollock
Best cooking methods	Breaded and fried, fish sticks, surimi, tacos, casseroles	Baked, broiled, poached, battered for fish and chips, chowder
Nutrition per 100 g raw (USDA)	76 kcal, 17.2 g protein, 0.82 g fat, 0.24 g EPA+DHA	Atlantic cod: 82 kcal, 17.8 g protein, 0.67 g fat, 0.18 g EPA+DHA
Mercury (FDA)	0.031 ppm mean; “Best Choice”	0.111 ppm mean; “Best Choice”
Sustainability	Not overfished; MSC-certified fishery through 2030	Pacific cod not overfished; US Atlantic cod stocks overfished and under rebuilding plans

Dock prices: 2024 NOAA landings value divided by pounds landed. Retail prices vary; check current prices.

Is pollock as good as cod?

For fried, breaded or saucy dishes, yes. For a plain baked or grilled fillet, cod is the better fish. NOAA describes pollock as having “mild-tasting flesh” that “is similar to other white fish like cod or haddock,” with “a relatively fine texture.” Atlantic cod, by contrast, “has a mild clean flavor” and “large flakes,” and NOAA notes it is “sweeter than Pacific cod.”

The difference shows up on the plate. A cod fillet is thicker and holds together in big pieces when you cut it; a pollock fillet is thinner, softer and flakes into smaller shreds. See what cod tastes like for the full flavor profile.

What does pollock taste like?

Pollock tastes mild and faintly sweet, with low fishiness and no noticeable oil. Alaska Seafood describes its “snow-white fillet” that “flakes beautifully and offers a lean texture and mild taste.” Cooked plain, it is a little softer and wetter than cod, which is why it benefits from a crisp coating or a sauce.

Watch the name: “pollock” on the US East Coast can also mean Atlantic pollock (Pollachius virens, sold as Boston bluefish or saithe). NOAA describes that fish as “sweet and delicate” but firm, with a “greenish hue and darker flesh.” Nearly all frozen pollock, fish sticks and fast-food fish in the US is the paler Alaska pollock.

What is pollock used for?

Fish sticks, surimi, fast-food fish sandwiches and fish-and-chips fillets. NOAA reports that roughly a quarter of Alaska pollock products are surimi (the base of imitation crab), close to half are fillets, and nearly a fifth are roe. NOAA’s fishery profile lists “fish sticks, imitation crab, and even the iconic Filet-O-Fish” as the products pollock becomes.

McDonald’s confirms it: “We use wild-caught Alaska Pollock for our Filet-O-Fish sandwich in the U.S., which is 100% sourced from sustainable fisheries.” The Marine Stewardship Council adds that pollock fillet products go into fish and chips, fish tacos, fish sandwiches and fish sticks in the US and Europe, while surimi goes mainly to Japan for kamaboko.

Pollock is also the largest fishery in the United States. NOAA calls it “the biggest fishery in the United States by volume” and “the second largest fishery in the world,” worth an estimated $1.9 billion and supporting nearly 30,000 jobs. In 2024 the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska fleets landed over 3 billion pounds.

Pollock vs cod nutrition: which is healthier?

They are nearly identical, and both are lean, high-protein fish. USDA FoodData Central lists raw Alaska pollock at 76 calories, 17.2 g protein and 0.82 g fat per 100 g, with about 0.24 g of the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Raw Atlantic cod comes in at 82 calories, 17.8 g protein and 0.67 g fat, with about 0.18 g EPA+DHA. Pollock edges ahead on omega-3; cod edges ahead on protein.

On mercury, pollock is the cleaner fish. FDA testing found a mean of 0.031 ppm in pollock versus 0.111 ppm in cod, and FDA lists both on its “Best Choices” list, the group it says women who are pregnant can eat two to three times a week. For a fish with real omega-3 numbers, compare black cod vs cod.

Pollock vs haddock: how do they compare?

Haddock sits between the two: sweeter than pollock, finer-flaked than cod. NOAA describes haddock as “slightly sweet” with a “firm yet tender” texture and a “delicate flake” that “is finer than that of cod.” Haddock is also the premium fish of the three: 2024 New England haddock landings were worth about $1.39 per pound at the dock against 14 cents for pollock, and haddock is the usual fish behind a New England scrod order. Our cod vs haddock guide covers the rest of that pairing.

Which is more sustainable?

Both are well managed, but pollock has the stronger record. NOAA reports that none of the five Alaska pollock stocks is subject to overfishing, that the fishery uses midwater trawls with minimal seafloor impact, and that non-target species make up less than 1 percent of the catch. The Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery has held Marine Stewardship Council certification since 2005; the current certificate runs through December 2030.

Cod depends on the ocean. Pacific cod from Alaska is not overfished, and US-caught cod is overwhelmingly Pacific: 375 million pounds in 2024 against 1.4 million pounds of Atlantic cod. NOAA’s 2021 assessments found both US Atlantic cod stocks, Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, overfished and subject to overfishing, with rebuilding targets of 2026 and 2033.

Which should you order?

Fish sticks, fish sandwiches, fish tacos, casseroles: pollock. It is cheaper, and the breading or sauce supplies the texture the fish lacks.
Fish and chips: cod if the shop offers it. The thick, large-flaked fillet stays moist inside a crisp batter in a way pollock does not.
Baked or broiled fillet with lemon and butter: cod. Pollock’s softer flesh turns watery in simple preparations.
Lowest mercury for kids or pregnancy: pollock, at roughly a quarter of cod’s average level.

Fish On Fire does not serve either: our menu runs on Gulf grouper, mahi and shrimp. If you are choosing between those and a cod-style fish elsewhere, our mild fish guide ranks them by flavor and flake, and cod vs tilapia and halibut vs cod cover the other common swaps.

Bottom line

Pollock and cod are close relatives with the same mild, lean, low-mercury profile, so the real differences are texture and price. Cod gives you large, firm flakes worth paying for in a plain fillet or fish and chips. Pollock gives you a softer, finer fish at a fraction of the cost, which is exactly why it fills the fish-stick box and the Filet-O-Fish bun.

Pollock vs Cod: What's the Difference?