Silver Hake
Merluccius bilinearis
Also known as Whiting, Atlantic hake, New England hake
Culinary Profile
Mild and slightly sweet.
Hakes have softer flesh and are less flaky than other whitefish such as cod, haddock, and pollock.
Silver hake is a good source of selenium, vitamin B, magnesium, and protein.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Silver hake are silvery in color, brownish on the back and whitish on the belly, with black speckles on the back and black inside the mouth. They have large heads for their size and sharp teeth. They have long pectoral fins and are fast swimmers.
Biology
Female silver hake are serial spawners, producing and releasing up to three batches of eggs in a single spawning season. Spawning areas include the coastal region of the Gulf of Maine from Cape Cod to Grand Manan Island, southern and southeastern Georges Bank, and the southern New England area south of Martha’s Vineyard.
Where They Live
Range Silver hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to South Carolina. Habitat In U.S. waters, two stocks have been identified. The northern stock of silver hake inhabits the waters of the Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank, and the southern stock inhabits the waters of Southern Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Bight.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Maine to South Carolina.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
Commercial fishery: In 2024, commercial landings of silver hake totaled 11.7 million pounds and were valued at $8.3 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Silver hake is part of the small-mesh multispecies management unit, along with red hake and offshore hake, which are collectively referred to as “whiting." The small-mesh multispecies fishery in the United States operates from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Fishermen using small-mesh trawl gear to catch silver hake must comply with a number of specific requirements to reduce bycatch of larger groundfish species.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 65 Species
Where Silver Hake ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choline | 65 mg | 12 / 65 | 82% |
| Zinc | 0.88 mg | 22 / 111 | 80% |
| Phosphorus | 222 mg | 35 / 111 | 68% |
| Vitamin D | 1.4 IU | 36 / 54 | 33% |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.3 µg | 39 / 106 | 63% |
| Protein | 18.31 g | 61 / 111 | 45% |
| Omega-3 EPA | 93 mg | 62 / 104 | 40% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 131 mg | 66 / 104 | 37% |
| Iron | 0.34 mg | 85 / 111 | 23% |
| Selenium | 32.1 µg | 87 / 106 | 18% |
Other New England/Mid-Atlantic Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Silver Hake.
Atlantic Bigeye Tuna
Thunnus obesus
Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than yellowfintuna. Sashimi lovers prefer it.
Atlantic Blacktip Shark
Carcharhinus limbatus
Sweet, meaty taste.
Atlantic Cod
Gadus morhua
Atlantic cod has a mild clean flavor. It is sweeter than Pacific cod.
Atlantic Common Thresher Shark
Alopias vulpinus
Mild flavor.
Atlantic Herring
Clupea harengus
Small fresh herring have a more delicate flavor, while larger herring have a fuller, oilier flavor.
Atlantic Mackerel
Scomber scombrus
Mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark meat along the midline.
Atlantic Mahi Mahi
Coryphaena hippurus
Mahi mahi has a sweet, mild flavor. For a milder flavor, trim away darker portions of the meat.
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
Reported to be quite tasty.
Atlantic Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
Skipjack tuna has the most pronounced taste of all of the tropical tunas.
Atlantic Spiny Dogfish
Squalus acanthias
Mild and sweet.
Similar by Flavour: Other Mild-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the mild flavour profile of Silver Hake, these other species in the catalogue will feel familiar on the palate.
Acadian Redfish
Sebastes fasciatus
Mild and slightly sweet. Redfish can be used as a substitute for haddock and similar fish.
Alaska Pollock
Gadus chalcogrammus
Pollock has mild-tasting flesh and is similar to other white fish like cod or haddock.
American Lobster
Homarus americanus
Mild and sweet.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Atheresthes stomias
Mild, sweet flavor.
Atlantic Bigeye Tuna
Thunnus obesus
Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than yellowfintuna. Sashimi lovers prefer it.
Atlantic Cod
Gadus morhua
Atlantic cod has a mild clean flavor. It is sweeter than Pacific cod.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silver Hake a lean fish or a rich one?
At 90 kcal per 100 g raw, Silver Hake counts as lean on the fattiness spectrum — useful context when deciding cooking method (lean species suit poaching; rich species hold up to high-heat sear).
How deep does Silver Hake live?
Silver Hake inhabits depths of 11 to 500 metres. Range Silver hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to South Carolina. Habitat In U.S. waters, two stocks have been identified.
Where in the water column does Silver Hake live?
Range Silver hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to South Carolina. Habitat In U.S. waters, two stocks have been identified. The northern stock of silver hake inhabits the waters of the Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank, and the southern stock inhabits the waters of Southern Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Bight.
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught silver hake is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
There are two stocks of silver hake: the Gulf of Maine/Northern Georges Bank stock and the Southern Georges Bank/Mid-Atlantic stock. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Gulf of Maine/Northern Georges Bank stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing (2023 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART .
Population
The stocks are not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
Fishing gears used to harvest silver hake have minimal impacts on habitat.
Bycatch
Raised-footrope trawls are required in designated areas when targeting hake to minimize bycatch of other species.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council manage the silver hake fishery. Silver hake are managed and assessed as two stocks: The Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank (northern stock) and the Southern Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic (southern stock). The southern stock includes southern silver hake and offshore hake.
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 21 values
Energy
Macronutrients
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamins
Minerals
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). %DV is percent of 2,000-kcal daily value for adults.
calendar_month Harvest Season
Frozen available year-round.