Hake - Hake Fish

Hake Fish

Hake fish comes from the same order (Gadiformes) as cod and haddock. It is a small fish of averaging 1 to 8 lb in weight, but which has been known to grow up to 60 lbs. Hake can grow up to 1 metre in length and their lifespan can be around 14 years. They live in waters ranging in depth from 200 to 350 m. Hake species stay in deep sea water during the day and come to the middle depths during the night. They are undiscerning predators that feed on species found near or on the bottom of the sea. The male and female hake fish look almost the same and are not easily differentiated.

After spawning, the hake eggs float on the surface of the sea where the larvae develop. After a certain period of time, the baby hake then migrate to the bottom of the sea, preferring depths of less than 200 m.

A total of 12 hake fish species are known in the family Merlucciidae:

• European hake (Merluccius merluccius) found in the Mediterranean and Black sea
• Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi), found in Argentina
• Southern hake (Merluccius australis), found in Chile
• Offshore hake (Merluccius albidus), found in USA
• Benguela hake (Merluccius poli), found in South Africa
• Shallow-water hake (Merluccius capensis), found in Southern Atlantic
• Deep-water hake (Merluccius paradoxus) found in Southern Atlantic
• Gayi hake (Merluccius gayi), found in North Pacific
• Silver hake (Merluccius bilienaris), found in Northwest Atlantic
• North Pacific hake (Merluccius productus), found in North Pacific
• Panama hake (Merluccius angustimanus), found in Mediterranean Sea
• Senegalese hake (Merluccius senegalensis), found in Atlantic coast of western North Africa

Not all hake species are viewed as commercially important, but the deep-water and shallow-water hakes are known to grow rapidly and make up the majority of harvested species.