©Scadinavian Fishing Year Book
Biology and habitat
Species description
The European hake is a slim bodied fish of the genus Merluccius, with a large head and large jaws on which are set a number of large curved teeth.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The European hake lives in the North-East Atlantic, Eastern-Central Atlantic, and can also be found in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Resource, exploitation and management
Stock and resource status/conservation measures
Minimum conservation reference size is set at 30 cm in Skagerrak and Kattegat, 20 cm in the Mediterranean Sea, and 27 cm in all the other fishing areas.
Production methods and fishing gears
The main fishing gears used are gillnets and similar nets, hooks and lines, and trawls.
Catches
Evolution of world catches
- Global catches of European hake reached over 95.000 tonnes, i.e. 0,1% of the total global catches in 2023.
- During the last decade (2014 to 2023), catches have increased to reach a peak in 2016 (142.000 tonnes) before decreasing by 33% between 2016 and 2023. In 2023, Spain and France were the main producers. Together, they produced 58% of the global catches of hake.
Source: FAO
Evolution of EU catches
In 2023, the EU provided 79% of the global European hake catches (76.000 tonnes).
Source: FAO
Aquaculture production
There is no aquaculture production of hake in the EU.
Processing
There is no significant processing activity of hake in the EU. The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries indicates the existence of frozen industry in Portugal and filleting activity in Slovenia (Source: The Economic Performance of the EU fish Processing Industry, STECF, 2023).
Trade
EU trade of European hake products (tonnes - 2024)
There are no specific trade codes related to the European hake. Data provided in the table below refer to fish categories that include other species of hake.
| CN code | Product | EU imports | EU exports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 02 54 11 | Fresh or chilled Cape hake "Merluccius capensis" and deepwater hake "Merluccius paradoxus" | 3.704 | 20 |
| 03 02 54 15 | Fresh or chilled southern hake "Merluccius australis" | 3.430 | 0 |
| 03 02 54 19 | Fresh or chilled "Merluccius spp." (excl. cape hake, deepwater hake and southern hake) | 4.705 | 272 |
| 03 02 54 90 | Fresh or chilled "Urophycis spp." | 40 | 4 |
| 03 03 66 11 | Frozen Cape hake "Merluccius capensis" and deepwater hake "Merluccius paradoxus" | 14.538 | 403 |
| 03 03 66 12 | Frozen Argentine hake "Merluccius hubbsi" | 9.782 | 33.815 |
| 03 03 66 19 | Frozen southern hake "Merluccius australis" | 6.182 | 48 |
| 03 03 66 19 | Frozen hake "Merluccius spp." (excl. cape hake, deepwater hake, Argentine hake and southern hake) | 3.422 | 4.574 |
| 03 03 66 90 | Frozen "Urophycis spp." | 17 | 400 |
| 03 04 74 11 | Frozen fillets of Cape hake "Merluccius capensis" and deepwater hake "Merluccius paradoxus" | 60.761 | 346 |
| 03 04 74 15 | Frozen fillets of Argentine hake "Merluccius hubbsi" | 30.104 | 523 |
| 03 04 74 19 | Frozen fillets of hake (excl. cape hake, deepwater hake and Argentine hake) | 22.436 | 116 |
| 03 04 74 90 | Frozen fillets of "Urophycis spp." | 0 | 2 |
| 03 04 95 50 | Frozen meat, whether or not minced, of hake "Merluccius spp." (excl. fillets and surimi) | 18.552 | 117 |
| 16 04 19 94 | Prepared or preserved hake "Merluccius spp., Urophycis spp.", whole or in pieces | 486 | 261 |
| Total | 178.158 | 40.901 | |
Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT
Extra-EU imports: reached over 178.000 tonnes in 2024. These concerned mainly frozen hake in fillets (64% of extra-EU imports), frozen whole hake (19%), frozen meat (10%) and to lesser extent fresh whole (7%). Spain was responsible of more than half of the extra-EU imports of hake in 2024 (58% of the EU imports). Other importers included Italy (12%), France and Portugal (6% each). Main EU suppliers were Namibia (61.830 tonnes), Argentina (34.714 tonnes), and South Africa (31.095 tonnes). EU trade with South Africa and Namibia is facilitated by the Trade, Development and Co-operation agreement between the EU and Southen African Development Community.
Extra-EU exports: were around 40.900 tonnes in 2024. EU-exports were dominated by frozen whole hake (96% of extra-EU exports). Ukraine was the major destination (40% of the volume; 16.314 tonnes) and Spain was by far the main EU exporter. In 2024, Spain was responsible of 88% of extra-EU exports of hake.
Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT
Supply balance
EU supply balance (2023) – Tonnes of live weight equivalent - Hake:
Production data cover all hake species targeted by the EU fleet to be in line with trade data that cover other hake species. The European hake represents 41% of the EU catches of hake. This supply balance concerns Hake (all species).
Source: FAO/ EUROSTAT-COMEXT
Supply balance is provided for the year 2023 (trade data for 2023 were taken into account). Detailed trade data provided in the slides 4 and 5 concern the year 2024.
The conversion factors were used to convert net weight of imports and exports of fishery and aquaculture products into live weight equivalents.
Production figure considered in this supply balance sheet is different from the production figure for the EU provided in the slide 2 on catches as this supply balance concerns all hake species targeted by the EU fleet, not only European hake.
Prices along the supply chain (EUR/kg)
First-sale (fresh)
First-sale prices are provided for Spain and France which are the main EU producers of European hake.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 5,89 | 6,24 | 5,69 | 6,11 | 6,55 | 6,87 | 6,40 | 6,63 | 6,98 | 7,33 | EUMOFA |
| France | 3,36 | 2,94 | 3,03 | 3,33 | 3,05 | 3,50 | 3,72 | 3,77 | 4,33 | 4,30 | EUMOFA |
(*) From January to September 2025
Wholesale (fresh)
Wholesale prices are provided for the main wholesale markets in France (Rungis, Paris) and Spain (Mercamadrid, Madrid).
| Average price (FR) / Most frequent price (ES) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France, whole 2-3 kg, Origin France | 5,06 | 4,57 | 6,08 | 6,81 | 6,21 | 7,36 | 7,79 | 8,12 | 7,26 | 7,46 | Rungis |
| Spain | 7,58 | 7,6 | 8,01 | 9,94 | 10,2 | 11,82 | 12,57 | 15,39 | 15,57 | 15,85 | Mercamadrid |
(*) From January to October 2025
Retail/consumption
Retail prices are provided for France and Spain, major EU consumers of hake.
| Country / item | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France, whole fresh | 10,3 | 10,6 | 10,3 | 10,8 | 11,6 | 12,5 | 12,5 | 13,5 | 14,3 | FranceAgriMer |
| Spain — fresh | 7,26 | 7,54 | 7,77 | 7,77 | 8,45 | 9,25 | 9,71 | 10,43 | 10,83 | MAPA |
| Spain — frozen | 6,84 | 7,04 | 7,07 | 7,22 | 7,26 | 7,41 | 7,78 | 8,44 | 9,04 | MAPA |
(*) Latest available year
Data concern all specie of hake
Extra-EU import (frozen fillets)
Extra-EU imports concern mainly frozen fillets. In 2024, main importers were Spain, Italy and France.
| Country / item | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 3,5 | 3,63 | 3,74 | 3,79 | 3,71 | 3,52 | 4,09 | 4,75 | 4,62 | 4,86 | EUMOFA |
| Italy | 4,05 | 4,14 | 3,98 | 4,18 | 4,68 | 4,23 | 4,67 | 4,91 | 4,89 | 5,36 | EUMOFA |
| France | 3,95 | 4,25 | 4,27 | 4,17 | 5,08 | 4,73 | 5,11 | 5,53 | 5,55 | 6,73 | EUMOFA |
(*) From January to September 2025
Extra-EU export (frozen whole)
Extra-EU exports concern mainly frozen whole hake and Spain is by far the main EU exporter of hake to third countries.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1,36 | 1,44 | 1,48 | 1,38 | 2,14 | 2,35 | 3,77 | 4,29 | 3,42 | 3,22 | EUMOFA |
(*) From January to September 2025
Consumption
Hake (all species included) is the 7th most consumed fish in the EU (source: The EU Fish Market – 2025 edition, EUMOFA)
Apparent consumption per capita of hake (all species) in 2023: 1,01 kg live weight equivalent (source: Supply balance - 2023, EUMOFA)
Nutrition values (European hake, Atlantic, cut from whole fish, values per 100 g - source: USDA)
| Nutritional value | Hake |
|---|---|
| Energie (kcal) | 78 |
| Energie (kJ) | 326 |
| Protein (g) | 17,5 |
| Total lipid (g) | 0,88 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 0 |
| Calcium (mg) | 44 |
| Iron (mg) | 0,95 |
| Sodium (mg) | 100 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 20 |