White hake (Urophycis tenuis)

Scientific name: Urophycis tenuis Mitchill, 1814

The White hake (Urophycis tenuis) is a marine fish of the family Phycidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Labrador and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to the coast of North Carolina. Straying to Iceland in the east and Florida in the south.

Biology

Found on soft, muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and upper slope. It is mostly found at 180 m. Mature fish migrate inshore in the northern Gulf of Maine in summer, disperse in autumn, and move into deepest areas in winter. Feed on small crustaceans, squids and small fish. Utilized fresh, smoked or frozen; eaten steamed, microwaved and baked. Exported to Europe.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Urophycis tenuis
Family: Phycidae (Phycid hakes)
Order: Gadiformes (Cods)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 133
Common length: 70.0
Depth range: 180–1000 m (591–3281 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range 180 - 1000 m, usually ? - 180 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Labrador and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to the coast of North Carolina. Straying to Iceland in the east and Florida in the south.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.11; tm=2; tmax=23; Fec=1 million)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026