Hake

The term hake /ˈheɪk/ refers to fish in either of:

Hake is in the same taxonomic order (Gadiformes) as cod and haddock. It is a medium to large fish averaging from 1 to 8 pounds (0.45 to 3.63 kg) in weight, with specimens as large as 60 pounds (27 kg). The fish can grow up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in length with a lifespan as long as 14 years. Hake may be found in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean in waters from 200–350 metres (660–1,150 ft) deep. The fish stay in deep sea water during the day and come to shallower depths during the night. An undiscerning predator, hake feed on their prey found near or on the bottom of the sea. Male and female hake are very similar in appearance.

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 metres (660 ft).

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

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.

The highest demand for hake has been in Europe. Hake has been primarily divided into three principal levels—fresh, frozen, and frozen fillet. Fresh hake is mainly supplied by European production and imports. Frozen hake and frozen hake fillet are effectively supplied by imports and European processing companies.

Spain has the highest consumption of hake in Europe, with a yearly consumption of 6 kg/person. This works out to around half all hake eaten in Europe. Though Spanish consumption of hake and other fish declined in the last decade (second fish consumption in the world after Japan), hake still accounts for about one third of total fish consumption there. Other countries that eat a lot of hake include France, Italy, and Portugal.

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Wikipedia