Editing Blue cod (section)

{{Short description|Species of ray-finned fish}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2016}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Parapercis colias (Blue cod).jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name = IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Collen, B. |author2=Richman, N. |author3=Beresford, A. |author4=Chenery, A. |author5=Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team) |year=2010 |errata=2017 |title=''Parapercis colias'' |page=e.T154870A115246940 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T154870A4655851.en}}</ref>
| taxon = Parapercis colias
| authority = ([[Johann Reinhold Forster|Forster]], 1801)
| synonyms = ''Enchelyopus colias'' <small>Forster, 1801</small>
|  synonyms_ref = <ref name = FishBase>{{FishBase|Parapercis|colias|month=February|year=2018}}</ref> 
}}
{{About|the New Zealand reef fish|the North Pacific deep-sea fish (sablefish) called blue cod in the UK|Anoplopoma fimbria}}

The '''New Zealand blue cod''' ('''''Parapercis colias''''') is a temperate [[Marine (ocean)|marine]] [[ray-finned fish]]<ref name="Carbines2004.a" /> of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Pinguipedidae]].<ref name="NZOR">{{cite web| url=http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/7c8168dd-6bff-4c73-8d42-ff7c29015a4b |title=Blue cod. |author=New Zealand Organisms Register.| date=2018| access-date=2018-04-15}}</ref> It is also known by its [[Māori language|Māori]] names, '''rāwaru''', '''pākirikiri''' and '''patutuki,''' and by its other names in English, '''Boston blue cod''', '''New Zealand cod''' or '''sand perch'''.<ref name="MPIname">{{cite web| url=http://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/964-specification-of-scientific-names-of-fish | title=New Zealand List of Scientific Names of Fish |author=Ministry for Primary Industries | date=2018| access-date=2018-04-15}}</ref>

It is exclusively found in [[New Zealand]], in shallow waters around rocky coasts to a depth of 150 m, though it is far more common south of the [[Cook Strait]].<ref name="Carbine1998" /> It is bluish green to blue-black above with white toward the belly.<ref name="Paulin1989" /> Large examples are usually greenish blue in colour, while smaller ones are blotched in varying shades of brown.<ref name="Paulin1989" /> An adult may grow to 60&nbsp;cm in length and weigh from 1.0 to 3.0&nbsp;kg.<ref name="Hirt-Chabbert" /><ref name="JiangCarbine" /> It feeds mainly on small fish and crabs.<ref name="Russell">{{cite journal|last1=Russell| first1=B. C. |year=1983| title=The food and feeding habits of rocky reef fish of north-eastern New Zealand| journal=New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research|volume=17 |issue=2|pages=121–145| doi=10.1080/00288330.1983.9515991| bibcode=1983NZJMF..17..121R }}</ref> Blue cod is territorial.<ref name="Mutch" /> Spawning takes place in southern spring.<ref name="AylingCox" /><ref name="PankhurstConroy" /> Blue cod can also change sex from female to male.<ref name="Carbines1998'" />

It is an important recreational species in the [[South Island]] and is commercially harvested.<ref name="Paul.a" /><ref name="Paul.b" /> Blue cod populations are managed under New Zealand's fisheries quota management system, although they are becoming scarce in some small areas due to fishing pressure.<ref name="MPI2018" /> Annual catch range is between 2,000 and 2,500 [[tonne]]s.<ref name="MPI2014" />