Hake
Encyclopedia
The term hake refers to fish in either of:
) 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 meter in length and their lifespan can be around 14 years. They live in shallow water ranging in depth from 200 to 350 meters. Hake species stay in deep sea water during the day and come to the middle depths during the night. They are actually undiscerning predators which 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 meters.
A total of 12 hake fish species are known:
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.
hake fish, frozen
hake fish and frozen hake fillet. The fresh hake fish is mainly supplied by European production and imports. Frozen hake fish and frozen hake fillet are effectively supplied by imports and European processing companies.
Spain
has been recorded as the highest consumption
of hake fish as compared to other European countries with a yearly consumption of 6 kg/person. Nevertheless, hake and other fish consumption have recently declined during the last decade but this still account for about 1/3 of the total fish consumed in Spain. The total hake consumption in Spain is around one half of the total European hake fish consumption. Other countries which follow are; Portugal, France and Italy.
In Spain, fresh hake fish are mostly purchased by restaurants through retailers. Nonetheless, processed hake products are distributed by hake fish wholesalers. Fishmongers, public markets and hypermarkets sell all kind of hake fish available. It can be frozen hake fillet, hake fillet skin-on, and hake fillet skin-ff or hake h&g.
In France
, most fish are generally purchased in Hypermarkets but for hake fish, it is an exception. Only 50% of sales represent the whole market. In fact, due to lack of European hake fish, French wholesalers purchase fresh hake from external countries such as Argentina
and Namibia
which are then directly exported to Spain. Fresh hake fish is mostly exported to Spain.
In Italy most hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, hypermarkets and institutions sector plays an important role in seafood consumption. However, frozen hake fillet are mostly purchased by retailers and wholesalers which are then sold in Supermarkets and hypermarkets. Restaurants and hotels are the primary location for seafood consumption. Statistic has shown that household purchases of fresh hake fillet are higher than others.
, fillet
s or steak
s, fresh
, smoked or salted. When buying hake fillet or any other type of hake fish products, consumers need to purchase hake with white flesh
that is free of signs of dryness, grayness or browning. It should have a seawater fresh smell.
and Uruguay
), Southeast Pacific (Chile
and Peru
), Southeast Atlantic (Namibia
and South Africa
, New Zealand
), and Mediterranean and Black Sea (Italy
, Spain
, Greece
and France
).
Over-exploitation
Due to over-exploitation, the commercial catch of Argentinean hake fish has declined drastically. About 80% of adult hake has apparently disappeared from the Argentinean Sea. It has been reported that Argentinean hake will not actually disappear from the sea but that the stock will be so low that profitability will be almost zero and it will be ineffective for commercial use. In addition, this is adversely affecting employment because many people are losing their jobs in the fishing industries. On the other hand, prices of Argentinean hake are rising due to the scarcity of the product. Based on this fact, exports are decreasing sharply, which is ultimately affecting the economy of the country.
In Chile, exports of seafood, especially Chilean hake, have decreased dramatically. The exportation of hake fish has decreased by almost 19 percent. The main cause of this decline is the earthquake
and tsunami
that hit Chile in February 2010. These disasters destroyed most processing plants, especially manufacturing companies dealing in the production of fishmeal and frozen fillets.
When it comes to European Hake, research has shown that catches are well below the historical level. This has ultimately led to depletion
of European hake in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
. However, there are different factors that might have caused this declination, including a too-high Total Annual Catch, unsustainable fishing, ecological problems, juvenile catches, or non-registered catches.
Currently, the only Hake
species that is considered not to be over-fished is Cape hake, which is found in Zone 47-Namibia, according to the Worldwide Fund. Namibia is the only country that has increased its quota of hake fish, resulting from 130,000 tonnes in 2009 to 145,000 tonnes in 2010. Furthermore, the Local Ministry of Fisheries
adheres to very strict rules and regulations regarding the catch of hake. For example, the closed seasons for hake fish lasts for approximately two months, September and October, depending on the level of stock. This rule has been applied in order to ensure that the regrowth of the hake fish population is being allowed. Supplement restrictions that have been imposed are: trawling
for Hake is not allowed in waters less than 200 m in depth so as not to affect the natural habitat of non-targeted species, and minimizing by-catch
.
products provide a source of revenue
to around 200 million people globally.
In order to safeguard the livelihood
of fish species especially hake, all hake fishing industries need to join a certain type of certification programs. Some of the certifications that are mostly known are Marine Stewardship Council
, Friend of the Sea
, and Naturland.
is a Hake derived product used in Spanish cuisine
and Portuguese cuisine
; it is caught from shoals off the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean. It is used in imitation crab meat.
- family PhycidaePhycidaePhycidae is a family of hakes in the order Gadiformes. They are native to the Atlantic Ocean, but the juveniles of some species enter estuaries.Joseph Nelson classifies this family as the subfamily Phycinae of the cod family, Gadidae.-Species:...
(sometimes subfamily Phycinae in family Gadidae) of the northern oceans - family MerlucciidaeMerlucciidaeMerlucciidae is a family of cod-like fish, including most hakes.They are native to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, being common in southern waters off Tasmania and New Zealand....
of the southern oceans
Hake fish
Hake fish comes from the same family (PhycidaePhycidae
Phycidae is a family of hakes in the order Gadiformes. They are native to the Atlantic Ocean, but the juveniles of some species enter estuaries.Joseph Nelson classifies this family as the subfamily Phycinae of the cod family, Gadidae.-Species:...
) as cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
and haddock
Haddock
The haddock , also known as the offshore hake, is a marine fish distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic. Haddock is a popular food fish and is widely fished commercially....
. 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 meter in length and their lifespan can be around 14 years. They live in shallow water ranging in depth from 200 to 350 meters. Hake species stay in deep sea water during the day and come to the middle depths during the night. They are actually undiscerning predators which 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 meters.
A total of 12 hake fish species are known:
- European hake (Merluccius merluccius) found in the Mediterranean and Black seaBlack SeaThe Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
- Argentinean hake (Merluccius hubbsi), found in ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
- Southern hake (Merluccius australis), found in ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
- Offshore hake (Merluccius albidus), found in USA
- Benguela hake (Merluccius poli), found in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- Shallow-water hake (Merluccius capensisMerluccius capensisThe Shallow-water Cape hake is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of South Africa. Its range extends southwards around the coast and into the Indian Ocean. On the east coast it is less abundant and Merluccius capensis is rarely...
), found in Southern Atlantic - Deep-water hake (Merluccius paradoxusMerluccius paradoxusThe Deep-water Cape hake is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of Southern Africa, south of Angola...
) found in Southern Atlantic - Gayi hake (Merluccius gayi), found in North Pacific
- Silver hakeSilver hakeThe silver hake, Atlantic hake or New England hake, Merluccius bilinearis, is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the northwest Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to the Newfoundland Banks, at depths of between 55 and 900 m. Its length is about 30 in ....
(Merluccius bilienaris), found in Northwest Atlantic - North Pacific hakeNorth Pacific hakeThe North Pacific hake, Pacific hake, or Pacific whiting, Merluccius productus, is a merluccid hake of the genus Merluccius, found in the north east Pacific Ocean from northern Vancouver Island to the northern part of the Gulf of California....
(Merluccius productus), found in North Pacific - Panama hake (Merluccius angustimanus), found in Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
- Senegalese hake (Merluccius senegalensis), found in Atlantic coast of western North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
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.
Commercial use
The demand for hake has been conventionally the most in Europe. Hake has been primarily divided into three principal levels which are freshFresh
Fresh is a 1994 crime film written and directed by Boaz Yakin in his film directorial debut, and produced by Lawrence Bender , who at the time was riding the wave of success of Reservoir Dogs...
hake fish, frozen
Frozen
Frozen may refer to:* the result of freezingIn film:* Frozen , a film by Wang Xiaoshuai* Frozen , a film by Juliet McKoen* Frozen , a film by Shivajee Chandrabhushan...
hake fish and frozen hake fillet. The fresh hake fish is mainly supplied by European production and imports. Frozen hake fish and frozen hake fillet are effectively supplied by imports and European processing companies.
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
has been recorded as the highest consumption
Consumption (economics)
Consumption is a common concept in economics, and gives rise to derived concepts such as consumer debt. Generally, consumption is defined in part by comparison to production. But the precise definition can vary because different schools of economists define production quite differently...
of hake fish as compared to other European countries with a yearly consumption of 6 kg/person. Nevertheless, hake and other fish consumption have recently declined during the last decade but this still account for about 1/3 of the total fish consumed in Spain. The total hake consumption in Spain is around one half of the total European hake fish consumption. Other countries which follow are; Portugal, France and Italy.
In Spain, fresh hake fish are mostly purchased by restaurants through retailers. Nonetheless, processed hake products are distributed by hake fish wholesalers. Fishmongers, public markets and hypermarkets sell all kind of hake fish available. It can be frozen hake fillet, hake fillet skin-on, and hake fillet skin-ff or hake h&g.
In France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, most fish are generally purchased in Hypermarkets but for hake fish, it is an exception. Only 50% of sales represent the whole market. In fact, due to lack of European hake fish, French wholesalers purchase fresh hake from external countries such as Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
which are then directly exported to Spain. Fresh hake fish is mostly exported to Spain.
In Italy most hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, hypermarkets and institutions sector plays an important role in seafood consumption. However, frozen hake fillet are mostly purchased by retailers and wholesalers which are then sold in Supermarkets and hypermarkets. Restaurants and hotels are the primary location for seafood consumption. Statistic has shown that household purchases of fresh hake fillet are higher than others.
Commercially saleable forms
Hake fish is sold in different types such as frozenFrozen
Frozen may refer to:* the result of freezingIn film:* Frozen , a film by Wang Xiaoshuai* Frozen , a film by Juliet McKoen* Frozen , a film by Shivajee Chandrabhushan...
, fillet
Fillet (cut)
A fillet is a cut or slice of boneless meat or fish.- Meat :In the case of beef, in the USA, the term most often refers to beef tenderloin, especially filet mignon.- Chicken :...
s or steak
Steak
A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...
s, fresh
Fresh
Fresh is a 1994 crime film written and directed by Boaz Yakin in his film directorial debut, and produced by Lawrence Bender , who at the time was riding the wave of success of Reservoir Dogs...
, smoked or salted. When buying hake fillet or any other type of hake fish products, consumers need to purchase hake with white flesh
Flesh
In vertebrate animals, flesh is the colloquial for biological tissue which consists of skeletal muscles and fat as opposed to bones, viscera and integuments. Flesh may be used as food, in which case it is called meat....
that is free of signs of dryness, grayness or browning. It should have a seawater fresh smell.
Fisheries
The main catching method of deep-water hake is primarily trawling, and shallow-water hake is mostly caught by inshore trawl and longlining. Hake fish are mostly found in the Southwest Atlantic (ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
), Southeast Pacific (Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
), Southeast Atlantic (Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
), and Mediterranean and Black Sea (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
).
Over-exploitation
Due to over-exploitation, the commercial catch of Argentinean hake fish has declined drastically. About 80% of adult hake has apparently disappeared from the Argentinean Sea. It has been reported that Argentinean hake will not actually disappear from the sea but that the stock will be so low that profitability will be almost zero and it will be ineffective for commercial use. In addition, this is adversely affecting employment because many people are losing their jobs in the fishing industries. On the other hand, prices of Argentinean hake are rising due to the scarcity of the product. Based on this fact, exports are decreasing sharply, which is ultimately affecting the economy of the country.
In Chile, exports of seafood, especially Chilean hake, have decreased dramatically. The exportation of hake fish has decreased by almost 19 percent. The main cause of this decline is the earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
and tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
that hit Chile in February 2010. These disasters destroyed most processing plants, especially manufacturing companies dealing in the production of fishmeal and frozen fillets.
When it comes to European Hake, research has shown that catches are well below the historical level. This has ultimately led to depletion
Depletion
Depletion may refer to:*Depletion , an accounting concept*Depletion region, a concept of semiconductor physics*Depletion width, a concept of semiconductor physics*Grain boundary depletion, a mechanism of corrosion...
of European hake in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. However, there are different factors that might have caused this declination, including a too-high Total Annual Catch, unsustainable fishing, ecological problems, juvenile catches, or non-registered catches.
Currently, the only Hake
Hake
The term hake refers to fish in either of:* family Phycidae of the northern oceans* family Merlucciidae of the southern oceans-Hake fish:...
species that is considered not to be over-fished is Cape hake, which is found in Zone 47-Namibia, according to the Worldwide Fund. Namibia is the only country that has increased its quota of hake fish, resulting from 130,000 tonnes in 2009 to 145,000 tonnes in 2010. Furthermore, the Local Ministry of Fisheries
Ministry of Fisheries
Ministry of Fisheries may refer to:* Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries * Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, United Kingdom * Fisheries and Oceans Canada* Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan...
adheres to very strict rules and regulations regarding the catch of hake. For example, the closed seasons for hake fish lasts for approximately two months, September and October, depending on the level of stock. This rule has been applied in order to ensure that the regrowth of the hake fish population is being allowed. Supplement restrictions that have been imposed are: trawling
Trawling
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The net that is used for trawling is called a trawl....
for Hake is not allowed in waters less than 200 m in depth so as not to affect the natural habitat of non-targeted species, and minimizing by-catch
By-catch
The term “bycatch” is usually used for fish caught unintentionally in a fishery while intending to catch other fish. It may however also indicate untargeted catch in other forms of animal harvesting or collecting...
.
Sustainable consumption of Hake fish
SeafoodSeafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
products provide a source of revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
to around 200 million people globally.
In order to safeguard the livelihood
Livelihood
A person's livelihood referers to "means of securing the necessities of life". For instance a fisherman's livelihood depends on the availability and accessibility of fish.- In social sciences :...
of fish species especially hake, all hake fishing industries need to join a certain type of certification programs. Some of the certifications that are mostly known are Marine Stewardship Council
Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent non-profit organization with an ecolabel and fishery certification programme. Fisheries that are assessed and meet the standard can use the MSC blue ecolabel. The MSC mission is to 'reward sustainable fishing practices’...
, Friend of the Sea
Friend of the Sea
Friend of the Sea is a project for the certification and promotion of seafood from sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture. It is the only certification scheme which, with the same logo, certifies both wild and farmed seafood. Friend of the Sea started as a project of the Earth Island...
, and Naturland.
Human introduction to non-native areas
An old European source mentions a hake that was transplanted from the coast of Ireland to Cape Cod. It is uncertain which species this is, but the reference is given below:This is an Irish salt water fish, similar in appearance to the tom cod. In Galway bay, and other sea inlets of Ireland, the hake is exceedingly abundant, and is taken in great numbers. It is also found in England and France. Since the Irish immigration to America, the hake has followed in the wake of their masters, as it is now found in New York bay, in the waters around Boston, and off Cape Cod. Here it is called the stock fish, and the Bostonians call them poor Johns. It is a singular fact that until within a few years this fish was never seen in America. It does not grow as large here as in Europe, though here they are from ten to eighteen inches [250 to 460 mm] in length. The general color of this fish is a reddish brown, with some golden tints - the sides being of a pink silvery luster.
Culinary use
Hake is a common foodfish. Hake filletHake fillet
Hake fillet is a type of fish product made from hake which is largely used in Spanish cuisine. Hake has soft white flesh which makes it easy to fillet. During the production of hake fillet, there are three steps that are particularly followed by hake processing industries. Firstly the headed and...
is a Hake derived product used in Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots...
and Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and full-flavored dishes and is closely related to Mediterranean cuisine. The influence of Portugal's former colonial possessions is also notable, especially in the wide variety of spices used. These spices include piri piri and black pepper, as...
; it is caught from shoals off the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean. It is used in imitation crab meat.