Catch of the Day

mussels New Zealand - Gordon's Bay Fisheries, Gordon's Bay, Western Cape, Helderberg, South Africa [© 2010 Paul Godard]

FISH & SEAFOOD : FRESH OR FROZEN

Gordon’s Bay Fisheries is a proud supplier of fresh fish as well as fresh and frozen seafood products.

Hake [fish]

Merluccius capensis

hake fillets - Gordon's Bay Fisheries, Gordon's Bay, Western Cape, Helderberg, South Africa [© 2010 Paul Godard]

Other Common Names

Cape Hake/Stockfish/Stokvis (RSA), Merlu Du Cap (France), Merluza Del Cabo

Other Scientific Names

Merluccius capensis capensis, Merluccius merluccius capensis

Etymology

Merluccius is an ancient name meaning - sea pike
Capensis - Meaning 'of the Cape'
The common name Hake was derived from an old English word 'haca' meaning to hook, a reverence to their sharp pointed teeth.

Features

Cape hake has an elongated body, with a depressed head and a pair of large eyes. The body colour is silvery - grey, with a white belly and each jaw have several sharply pointed teeth.

Size : 50 cm | Weight : 1 kg

Ecology

Hake prefer to live near the bottom to depths of 500m, but they migrate to the surface at night to feed. Hake feeds on small fish species, especially on juvenile hake as well as on crustaceans and squid.

Distribution

Available in large numbers from Skeleton coast to East London, where they are mainly targeted by trawlers.

Regulation

Minimum legal size - None
Bag limit for recreational fishing - 5 per person