Hake Fish Guide: Species, Taste, Nutrition & Pacific Hake

What Is Hake Fish?

Hake is not one single fish. It is a broad seafood name used for a group of related whitefish, especially species in the genus Merluccius and the hake family Merlucciidae. That distinction matters because a package labeled “hake” in the United States, Europe, South America, southern Africa, Australia, or New Zealand may contain a different species with a different fishery, texture, size, processing format, and market value.

For Global Seafoods customers, the most relevant species is Pacific Hake (Merluccius productus), also called Pacific Whiting. But Pacific Hake is only one part of the worldwide hake trade.

Hake vs Cod | How to Cook Hake | Pacific Whiting Guide | Shop Pacific Whiting / Pacific Hake

Major Commercial Hake Species Around the World

Hake species often share a mild whitefish profile, but they should not be treated as different names for the same fish. Scientific name and origin are especially important when comparing quality, price, processing, and cooking performance.

The commercial lesson is simple: “hake” on a label does not automatically identify the species. For buying, cooking, sourcing, or comparing price, look for the scientific name and country or fishing region whenever possible.

Why the Word “Hake” Can Be Confusing in the Seafood Market

Common names developed differently in different countries. A buyer may encounter hake, merluza, whiting, Cape hake, Argentine hake, Chilean hake, or Pacific whiting. Some names describe a species; others are regional or commercial names. That creates an easy SEO and purchasing mistake: treating every search for “hake fish” as if the customer were asking only about Pacific Whiting.

Global Seafoods keeps the topics separate for that reason. This page is the broad Hake Fish guide. Our Pacific Whiting / Pacific Hake Guide goes much deeper into Merluccius productus, its West Coast fishery, processing history, texture, surimi challenges, and cooking.

Pacific Hake Is Pacific Whiting

Pacific Hake and Pacific Whiting are common names for Merluccius productus. It belongs to the family Merlucciidae in the order Gadiformes. It is related to cod and pollock at the order level, but it is not a true cod and does not belong to the cod family Gadidae.

Pacific Hake occurs along the Pacific coast of North America and supports a major U.S.-Canadian fishery. In the United States, the commercial fishery is concentrated off Washington, Oregon, and California.

Why Hake Species Can Have Very Different Prices

Two boxes labeled “hake” can represent very different seafood products. Commercial value depends on species, fish size, harvest area, product form, processing quality, catch method, certification or fishery requirements, freight, currency, supply, and destination market.

Some hake fisheries are strongly oriented toward fresh or frozen fillets and portions. Others have historically supplied HGT fish, frozen blocks, surimi, or other processed products. A buyer should therefore compare species to species and product form to product form, rather than assuming that every hake is a direct substitute.

What professional seafood buyers check

• Scientific species: common names alone can be ambiguous.
• Origin: North Pacific, South America, Europe, southern Africa, and other regions serve different markets.
• Product form: whole, headed and gutted, HGT, fillet, portion, block, or surimi raw material.
• Frozen condition and handling: important for texture and yield.
• Fish size and specification: commercial applications can change significantly with size.
• Intended use: a fish suitable for portions may not have the same economics as fish intended for blocks or surimi.

What Does Hake Taste Like?

Hake is generally known as a mild whitefish, but texture varies by species, fish condition, and processing. Pacific Hake is especially delicate. It has a mild, slightly sweet profile and a softer texture with less pronounced flaking than firmer whitefish such as cod or pollock.

That softness can work very well in fish tacos, fish cakes, soups, chowders, baked dishes, and other preparations where a tender whitefish is desirable. Other hake species and product formats can be firmer, so cooking recommendations should match the actual species and cut rather than the word “hake” alone.

Pacific Hake Has an Unusual Processing Challenge

Pacific Hake deserves separate treatment because its processing characteristics are not identical to every other hake. Some Pacific Hake can undergo significant post-mortem softening associated with proteolytic enzyme activity linked to Kudoa infection. In commercial processing this can cause flesh to soften after death and can reduce the functionality of muscle proteins.

This is particularly important in fillet production and surimi manufacturing, where texture and gel strength matter. Rapid handling, chilling, raw-material selection, and processing control can therefore have a major effect on the finished product. The deeper technical and historical discussion belongs in our dedicated Pacific Whiting article , rather than turning this broad Hake guide into a second competing Pacific Whiting page.

Hake from a Seafood Industry Perspective

After more than 30 years working with seafood and West Coast groundfish, I consider the word hake too broad to evaluate a product by name alone. A professional buyer wants to know the species, origin, size, processing form, condition, and intended market.

My direct Pacific Hake experience in British Columbia in the 1990s included offshore factory-vessel processing of fish harvested by Canadian fishermen, with products including surimi and frozen fillet blocks. That experience is one reason Global Seafoods separates the worldwide Hake topic from the narrower Pacific Whiting / Pacific Hake topic. They are related searches, but they are not the same buying question.

Hake Nutrition

Nutrition varies by species and whether the fish is measured raw or cooked, so one nutrition panel should not be presented as universal for all hake. Pacific Whiting specifically is a lean, protein-rich whitefish with relatively little total fat.

For a detailed species-specific nutritional breakdown, see our Pacific Whiting Nutrition Guide .

Mercury and Seafood Guidance

FDA/EPA fish-consumption guidance lists hake and whiting among lower-mercury “Best Choices.” Consumers should still follow current serving guidance and identify the actual fish they are purchasing, particularly when a common market name can refer to more than one species.

Is Hake Sustainable?

There is no responsible one-word sustainability answer for every fish sold as hake. Sustainability depends on species, stock, harvest area, fishery, management system, and fishing method.

Pacific Hake / Pacific Whiting on the U.S. West Coast is managed as a major commercial fishery. Sustainability claims made for that fishery should not automatically be transferred to European, Argentine, Chilean, Peruvian, Cape, Southern, or other hake fisheries. Each fishery needs to be evaluated on its own current stock and management information.

How to Cook Hake

The best method depends on species and product form, but hake generally works well with preparations that preserve moisture and avoid overcooking.

• Baking: season lightly and cook until the fish is opaque and separates easily.
• Pan-cooking: dry the surface first and turn delicate portions carefully.
• Poaching: useful for tender fillets that can break during aggressive cooking.
• Fish tacos: mild hake pairs well with citrus, slaw, salsa, and stronger sauces.
• Soups and chowders: add delicate hake toward the end of cooking.

For food safety, cook finfish to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). For detailed technique, see How to Cook Hake . For a broader species and texture comparison, read Hake vs Cod .

How to Buy Hake

When comparing hake online or at a seafood counter, check the scientific species when available, origin, frozen or fresh condition, cut, net weight, and whether the listing is for fillets, portions, whole or dressed fish, HGT, blocks, or another format.

Global Seafoods currently sells Pacific Whiting / Pacific Hake . The product page is the best source for the current product form, sizes, price, availability, and shipping options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hake one species of fish?

No. Hake is a broad common and market name used for multiple related species. Pacific Hake, European Hake, Argentine Hake, Chilean Hake, Peruvian Hake, Cape Hakes, Southern Hake, and Silver Hake are not all the same fish.

Is Pacific Hake the same as Pacific Whiting?

Yes. Both names refer to Merluccius productus.

Is Silver Hake the same as Pacific Hake?

No. Silver Hake is Merluccius bilinearis, an Atlantic species. Pacific Hake is Merluccius productus, a Pacific species.

Are Chilean Hake and Peruvian Hake the same as North American Pacific Hake?

No. They belong to the same broader hake group but are different taxonomic and regional fish from North American Pacific Hake / Pacific Whiting.

Is hake a cod?

No. Hakes belong to the family Merlucciidae, while true cods belong to Gadidae. Both families are within the order Gadiformes.

Which hake is sold by Global Seafoods?

Our current hake product is Pacific Whiting / Pacific Hake (Merluccius productus). Check the product page for current cut, pack sizes, availability, and shipping information.

Why can hake prices vary so much?

Because “hake” can mean different species and product forms from different fisheries. Origin, size, processing, cut, freight, market demand, and supply all influence price.

Bottom Line

Hake is a worldwide seafood category, not one universal product. For consumers and professional buyers, the useful questions are: Which species? Where was it harvested? What is the product form? How was it processed? For Global Seafoods, Pacific Hake / Pacific Whiting is the key West Coast species, while this broader guide explains how it fits into the global hake market without confusing all hake species with Pacific Whiting.

Sources

NOAA Fisheries: Pacific Whiting
NOAA Fisheries: Silver Hake
FDA/EPA: Advice About Eating Fish