Why was my fresh cod so salty?

A salty solution called the ocean, perhaps.

Salt is also used as a preservative

But @flutherother, then it’s not fresh, is it?

@Jeruba You’re right. I thought I’d seen fresh cod on the pier covered in salt but I think it was actually crushed ice.

If it was salty then it wasn’t fresh but salted cod instead.

Salt has been used as a preservative since it first crawled out of the sea.

If it had to be transported any significant distance from where it was caught to the market where you purchased it then it’s not really “fresh” (despite the marketing buzzword). Chances are it was packed in salt for at least some portion of its trek from the sea to your plate.