European hake (Merluccius merluccius) fish species and information / pictures of European hake - Merluccius merluccius

European hake (Merluccius merluccius) fish species information

Scientific Name
Merluccius merluccius

Common Name
European hake

Biology
Found usually between 70 and 370 m depth. Adults live close to the bottom during day-time, but move off-bottom at night. Adults feed mainly on fish (small hakes, anchovies, pilchard, herrings, cod fishes, sardines and gadoid species) and squids. The young feed on crustaceans (especially euphausiids and amphipods). Are batch spawners (Ref. 51846). Almost entirely marketed fresh, whole or filleted, to specialized restaurants or retail markets (Ref. 58452). Utilized fresh, dried or salted and frozen; can be steamed, fried, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Stocks seem to be over-fished (Ref. 35388).

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Cods (Gadiformes)

Family

Merluccid hakes (Merlucciidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: Norway and Iceland, southward to Mauritania. Also in the Mediterranean Sea and along the southern coast of the Black Sea.

Range

76°N - 18°N, 30°W - 42°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

30 m

Depth To - meters

1075 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 30 - 1075 m (Ref. 58452), usually 70 - 400 m (Ref. 35388)

Trophic Level

4.42 s.e. 0.78 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

140 cm

Common Length

45.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (71 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.06-0.18; tm=2-8; tmax=20; Fec=2 million)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated