Minimum depth from Ref. 128002. 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 . Almost entirely marketed fresh, whole or filleted, to specialized restaurants or retail markets . Utilized fresh, dried or salted and frozen; can be steamed, fried, microwaved and baked . Stocks seem to be over-fished .
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43 - 51; Anal soft rays: 36 - 40. Inside of mouth and branchial cavity black. Second dorsal and anal fins notched. First vertebra and neural spine attached to skull. Vertebrae 50-52.: elongated.
Behavioural data for European hake is currently being reviewed.
Continuous recruitment of oocytes connotes indeterminate fecundity for this species .
Marine; demersal; depth range 18 - 1075 m , usually 70 - 400 m . Temperate; 76°N - 18°N, 30°W - 42°E
fish (small hakes, anchovies, pilchard, herrings, cod fishes, sardines and gadoid species) and squid
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Blue Ling · Cornish Salmon · European hake · European hake, Hake · Herring Hake · Lesser Ling · hake |
| 🌍AFR | Europese Stokvis |
| 🌍BRE | begeg-vôr · merluz |
| 🏳️Catalan | Lluç europeu · lluç |
| 🌍CES | štikozubec obecný |
| 🌍CYM | Cegdduon · cegddu · ceggdu |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Europæisk kulmule · Kulmule · kolmuler |
| 🇩🇪German | Europäischer Seehecht · Hechtdorsch · Seehecht |
| 🌍ELL | Βακαλάος · Μπακαλιάρος |
| 🌍EPO | Merluĉo |
| 🌍EST | Merluus |
| 🌍EUS | legatz arrunt · legatza |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kummeliturska · kummeli |
| 🇫🇷French | Abadioa · Bardot · Brochet de mer · Canapé · Colin · Colinet · Hoglet · Merlan · Merlu · Merlu Commun · Merlu blanc · Merlu européen · Merlu européen, Merlu blanc · Merluche · Merluchon · Merluchon au colinet · Nasello · Ânon · Únon |
| 🌍GLE | An colmóir |
| 🌍GLG | pescada · pixota |
| 🌍HEB | בקלה ים-תיכונית |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Oslić |
| 🌍ISL | Lýsingur |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Merluzzo · Nasello · Pesce lupo |
| 🌍MLT | Marloz · Marlozz · Maroz · Merluzz · Merluzz ewropew · Mirluzz |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Europese heek · Stokvisch heek · heek · mooie meid · stokvis |
| 🌍NNO | berglaks · bjørklyr · hegg · lysing · sølvlyr · kolkjeft |
| 🌍NOB | Kolkjeft/Svartkjeft · lysing · berglaks · bjørklyr · hegg · kolkjeft · sølvlyr |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Lysing · haeg · kolkjeft |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Morszczuk · Morszczuk zwyczajny a. europejski |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Marmota · Merluza-europeia · Pescada · Pescada branca · Pescada-branca · Pescada-marmota · Pescadinha |
| 🌍RON | Merluciu european · Merluciu sud-african |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Мерлуза европейская · Обыкновенный хек |
| 🌍SLV | Oslič |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Alambolo · Carioca · Cria · Ilus · Iluz · Lejatxa · Merluza · Merluza europea · Pescada · Pescadilla · Pijota · Pijotilla · Pijoton · Pitillo |
| 🌍SQI | Merluc · Merluci · bakalaku |
| 🌍SRP | Oslic |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Kummel |
| 🌍TUR | Berlam · bakalyaro |
| 🌍UKR | Мерлуза європейська · Хек європейський |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 歐洲無鬚鱈 |
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadus byrkelange | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Gadus merluccius | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Gadus ruber | Lacepède | 1803 | Heterotypic |
| Hidronus marlucius | Minding | 1832 | Synonym |
| Hydronus marlucius | Minding | 1832 | Synonym |
| Merluccius ambiguous | Lowe | 1841 | Heterotypic |
| Merluccius ambiguus | Lowe | 1841 | Heterotypic |
| Merluccius argentatus | Günther | 1862 | Synonym |
| Merluccius esculentus | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Merluccius linnei | Malm | 1877 | Synonym |
| Merluccius merluccius lessepsianus | Lloris, Matallanas & Oliver | 2003 | Heterotypic |
| Merluccius smiridus | Rafinesque | 1810 | Synonym |
| Merluccius vulgaris | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
| Merlucius ambiguus | Lowe | 1841 | Synonym |
| Merlucius esculentus | Risso | 1827 | Synonym |
| Merlucius lanatus | Gronow | 1854 | Synonym |
| Merlucius sinuatus | Swainson | 1838 | Synonym |
| Merlucius vulgaris | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
| Molva byrkelange | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Onus riali | Rafinesque | 1810 | Synonym |
| Trachinoides maroccanus | Borodin | 1934 | Synonym |
| Trachinoides moroccanus | Borodin | 1934 | Synonym |
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 27 records indexed .
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