long silver hake, deep and dependable

Size
Length: 60–100 cm, Weight: 2–6 kg
Lifespan
15–25 years
Diet
Carnivorous – feeds on small fish, squid and crustaceans. Hunts in mid-water using a large mouth full of sharp teeth. Swims with a fast, continuous motion. Feeds throughout the water column from surface to seafloor.
Habitat
Deep continental slopes and open ocean waters from 100 to 600 metres depth. Prefers cold, oxygen-rich waters with high productivity. Often found near current boundaries and upwelling zones.
Range
Found in temperate waters around New Zealand from Northland to the Campbell Plateau. Most common off the east coast of the South Island and the Chatham Rise. Also found in southern Australia and Chile.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
Commercial trawl fisheries are the primary threat. Also threatened by bycatch in hoki and squid fisheries, and climate change affecting prey distribution in southern oceans and water temperatures. No significant recreational fishery.
Population
Populations are managed under New Zealand's quota management system. The species is caught mainly as a bycatch in the hoki fishery. Stock assessments indicate stable populations with sustainable harvest levels. Regular monitoring ensures that catch limits remain appropriate for current stock sizes.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Sleek, silver predator of the deep continental slope. Its large mouth is packed with sharp teeth for grabbing slippery fish and squid. The Māori name Kehe refers to its slender, tapered body. It is often caught alongside hoki and sold as a similar product. Its firm, white flesh is excellent eating. This makes it a popular choice for fish fillets and fish and chips. A fish that ends up in a paper bag. The body is elongated and streamlined. It has a large head and a terminal mouth. The teeth are sharp and numerous. The colour is a silvery blue-grey on the back. This fades to white on the belly. The fins are dusky. The scales are small and smooth. A predator built for the chase. It is a fast-swimming predator. It hunts in mid-water for small fish, squid, and crustaceans. It uses its large mouth to swallow prey whole. It feeds throughout the water column. This ranges from the surface to the seafloor. A fish that goes where the food is. It is often caught as bycatch in the hoki fishery. The two species are similar in appearance. They are often processed together. Its flesh is firm, white, and mild. It is excellent for frying or baking. The fish that arrives on the plate without a proper introduction. To see a hake is to see a silver streak in the deep. It is a fish of the continental slope. It inhabits the cold, dark waters. It is a predator, sleek and fast, hunting in the deep. Most people will never see one alive. They will only see the fillet. White and boneless, wrapped in plastic. The hake does not know this. It does not know about the fish and chips shops. It does not know about the supermarket freezers. It just swims and hunts and spawns. It does so deep in the dark. This continues until a net comes down from above. And then it becomes dinner.