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A predatory fish with sharp, long teeth that inhabits the deep sea, most anglers know it as hake. This fish is extremely popular due to the high nutritional value of its meat and the excellent flavor of its fillet.
Eating hake is recommended as part of a diet or for children. Fishermen often hold hake competitions, after which the trophies become table centerpieces.
Appearance of the individual
The predator has a distant relative, which can be caught during trophy fishing trips on the Putorana Plateau. Merluzidae are members of the cod order, a class of ray-finned fish. On the Yenisei River, anglers can catch a relative of the hake, popularly known as the burbot.
Externally, the common hake looks like this:
The head is large, like that of its freshwater relative, and features large eyes. The pupils are blackish-blue, and the irises are golden, giving this bloodthirsty killer a rather attractive appearance.
· Two uneven rows of needle-sharp teeth allow the predator to hunt other species of fish.
· The body and stigma are long, slightly compressed.
· The hake's body is covered with fine, small scales, which are arranged in large numbers. There can be over 150 of them on one side.
· The individual has two fins on its back, separated from each other. One is long and triangular, the other is shorter.
· The pectoral fins are quite long.
· The tail, as the fish grows, becomes pointed like a fork and with age, it becomes sharper.
· Hake has a grey-silver colour and an almost white belly.
· The maximum weight of the predator reaches 15 kg, and its length is almost one and a half meters.
A distinctive feature of the hake is its brown or grayish-black stripe on its back and head. A dark spot is also located near the pectoral fin.
Where is the common hake found?
The majority of the population inhabits the Atlantic Ocean. It can be found everywhere, from Iceland and Norway to the coast of South Africa. Smaller numbers of hake are found in the Black and Mediterranean Seas.
The fish prefers great depths; sometimes the predator can be caught 1 km or more below the surface. However, more often, the toothy specimen is found at depths of 150 to 400 meters.
The final part
Hake is caught using bottom gear, either longlines or trawls. The predator's bite is particularly strong in spring and late winter. During these times, the fish vigorously attack the bait offered and are hooked.
Given the health benefits of hake meat, its popularity is constantly growing. In addition to being recommended for dietary purposes, the meat contains many vitamins and minerals that can help prevent complex diseases.
