In 2023, global hake production reached 1.170.206 tonnes, with the EU-27 being the world’s third largest hake producer, after the USA and Argentina. Spain and France are the two main hake-producing countries in the EU-27, accounting respectively for 81% (150.991 tonnes) and 12% (21.743 tonnes) of EU catches in 2024. Household consumption of fresh hake in Spain fell sharply between 2015 and 2024 (-61% in volume), while the Spanish market remains highly segmented by fish size and fishing method. France is the second largest EU-27 hake producer and the third largest consumer, with catches that halved (-50%) over the past decade. French consumption is concentrated in supermarkets and segmented by size and cut. Ireland was the fifth largest EU-27 hake producer in 2023 and plays an important role as a landing hub, receiving over 10.000 tonnes LWE of hake annually from Spanish and French vessels.