Offshore silver hake (Merluccius albidus)

Scientific name: Merluccius albidus Mitchill, 1818

The Offshore silver hake (Merluccius albidus) is a marine fish of the family Merlucciidae. Native range: Western Central Atlantic, Georges Bank, New England to Suriname and French Guiana.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45-51; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 35 - 41; Vertebrae: 51 - 53. Head rather long; mouth large; gill rakers short and thick, with blunt tips; pectoral fin tips reaching a vertical through anus in small fish but not in larger ones; overall color silvery white.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Merluccius albidus
Family: Merlucciidae (Merluccid hakes)
Order: Gadiformes (Cods)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 40.6
Common length: 45
Depth range: 80–1170 m (262–3839 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; non-migratory; depth range 80 - 1170 m, usually 160 - 640 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Western Central Atlantic: Georges Bank, New England to Suriname and French Guiana.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tmax > 3 and tm >=2; K=0.57; Fec=340,000)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026