News
SpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-NicolaIndiaHilsa production dropped 26% in five years, fisheries minister tells parliamentSpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-NicolaIndiaHilsa production dropped 26% in five years, fisheries minister tells parliament
EveryFish
Argentine hake

Argentine hake

Commercial hake species from the southwest Atlantic.

The Argentine hake is a merluccid fish found off Argentina and Uruguay. Described in 1933 by Tomás Marini, it supports major fisheries. Adults reach 95 cm and live at depths of 100 to 200 metres.

Share on WhatsApp

  • Reaches up to 95 cm in length
  • Lives at depths of 100 to 200 m
  • Major fishing export for Argentina
  • Described by Tomás Marini in 1933
  • Migrates south in spring and north in autumn

What it is

This fish belongs to the merluccid hake group. It closely resembles the European hake in appearance. Adults can grow to 95 centimetres long, though most caught are between 50 and 65 centimetres. The maximum weight is around five kilograms. It inhabits the southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Where it lives

Its distribution covers the coastal waters of Argentina and Uruguay. These fish dwell on the continental shelf at depths ranging from 100 to 200 metres. They are not found in shallow bays or the open deep ocean beyond this shelf zone.

How it lives

Diet consists mainly of crustaceans, squids, and small fish such as anchovies. They also eat younger hakes. The population migrates south during spring and returns north in autumn. Females exhibit faster growth rates and greater longevity compared to males.

Breeding and life cycle

Specific details on spawning seasons or egg development are not provided in the available records. However, biological data indicates that female individuals grow more quickly and survive for more years than their male counterparts.

Fish and people

This species holds significant commercial value for regional economies. It is a primary export product for Argentina. Markets typically offer the meat fresh, but frozen products are also common. It serves as a key resource for local fishing industries.

Status and threats

Conservation status assessments are not included in the current data. While it is a major target for fisheries, specific information regarding population trends, overfishing risks, or management measures is not detailed here.

Questions people ask about Argentine hake

Where does the Argentine hake live?

It is found in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, specifically along the coasts of Argentina and Uruguay. It typically inhabits waters between 100 and 200 metres deep.

How big does the Argentine hake get?

The maximum recorded length is 95 centimetres, with a weight of up to 5 kg. However, the most common size encountered is between 50 and 65 centimetres.

What does the Argentine hake eat?

Its diet includes crustaceans, squids, and smaller fish. It frequently consumes anchovies and even smaller individuals of its own species.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Argentine hake", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

Like Argentine hake

All cods and hakes
South African hake 🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreSouth African hake A commercial bottom-dwelling fish off southern Africa.Cod · Coasts and shelves EuropeCommon ling Large cod-like fish of the North AtlanticCod · Coasts and shelves WorldHake Commercially important gadiform fish found in deep ocean waters worldwide.Cod · Open ocean

More from Merlucciidae

All of them
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreEuropean hake A predatory demersal fish of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.Other · Coasts and shelves 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNorth Pacific hake A silver-gray marine fish found in the northeast Pacific Ocean, used for surimi production.Other · Coasts and shelves

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: the fish of the day, new pages on EveryFish, and the conferences and anniversaries of the week ahead.