Hake

Biology

Hake are large predatory fish that are widely distributed in European waters over the continental shelf. Hake feed on squid and other fish (sometimes including juvenile hake). They can be found on or near the sea bed during the daytime, and at night time they move up into mid-water to feed. Hake are slow growing, deep water fish and can reach a maximum size of 180cm, weighing up to 15 kilogrammes. Females mature at 5- 6 years when they are about 50cm long and they produce large numbers of eggs each year during their peak spawning season (February and March). Due to the slow growth rate and late maturity this species is vulnerable to over fishing, but recent years have shown that stocks recover well when fishing pressure is reduced. Recovery of this species may also be being aided by climate change as its recruitment is favoured by warmer sea temperatures. Biological vulnerability score is relatively high; 71%. (Cheung et all 2005).

Stock Info

There was a pronounced stock decline in the 1980's, with spawning stock biomass (SSB) hitting a historical low in 2000. Following the introduction of a recovery management plan in 2004, the spawning stock biomass rapidly increased until 2017 however in recent years it has began to decline and is now dropping close near to a point where the stock wont be considered sustainable. Landings to Cornish ports peaked in 2019 but since then have flucutated, in 2020 this was due to covid landing rates picked back up but havent reached the highs of 2018 and 2019.  The Latest ICES advice shows that catches and biomass in the NE Atlantic is declining following a peak in 2015 (which was attributed to the Hake recovery plan that saw stocks rebuild. The current decline in biomass is cause for concern. 

Management

Hake fisheries are managed by the European Common Fisheries Policy quota system. Additionally a hake recovery plan implemented in 2004 resulted in increased hake stocks, which benefitted hake fishing for many years. Hake is a quota species and quotas are set by the EU common fisheries policy. Current declines in biomass have resulted in ICES advising that catches should be reduced. In 2024 the total allowable catch of Northern hake (shared between all nations) were 58,272 tonnes, ICES are advising that in 2026 landings should be no more than 54,912 tonnes.  Cornish vessels operating outside the 12 mile limit all now are required by law to use accoustic pingers on their nets which deter dolphins and porpoises from coming near the nets. The Cornish Gill net hake fishery was certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2015. 

Capture Info

Hake are caught by demersal trawls and beam trawls but the majority of landings to Cornish ports are by targetted gill netting fisheries.  Hake net fisheries are mainly carried out in deep water outside the 6 mile limit and all netters fishing from boats over 10 meters now have to use pingers on their nets to reduce risk of cetacean by catch. The nets used have a mesh size of 4" 7/8 (124mm) and are set on the seabed. A typical hake net is 125 yards long and 32 nets are joined together to make a tier of nets. A large, offshore, modern hake netter can fish up to 6 tiers of net at a time - an astounding 21 kilometers of net. There are issues with by-catch of non target species such as sharks, rays and seals in this fishery and more research is needed to establish the level of by catch.

References