South African hake
A commercial bottom-dwelling fish off southern Africa.
This ray-finned species inhabits the south-eastern Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts. It supports a major trawling industry in South Africa and migrates vertically each day to feed.
- Grows up to 120 cm in length.
- Migrates vertically from bottom to surface nightly.
- Key target for South African trawling fleets.
- Found from Angola to KwaZulu-Natal.
What it is
This ray-finned member of the genus Merluccius resembles its European and deep-water relatives. The body is elongated and slender with a prominent head. Colouration features light brown on the upper side and white or silver underneath. The first dorsal fin contains one spine plus nine to eleven soft rays. A second dorsal fin holds thirty-eight to forty-three soft rays. The anal fin lacks spines but has thirty-seven to forty-one soft rays. The tail fin ends flatly or with a slight inward curve. Adults typically measure fifty centimetres, though they can reach one hundred and twenty centimetres.
Where it lives
Populations inhabit the continental shelf and upper slope. They occupy depths between fifty and five hundred metres, rarely going deeper than four hundred metres. The distribution stretches along the south-eastern Atlantic coast. On the western side, it reaches Benguela in Angola, overlapping with the Benguela hake. Eastern populations extend into the Indian Ocean but become scarce north of KwaZulu-Natal. This zone partially shares space with the deep-water Cape hake at two hundred to four hundred metres.
How it lives
The fish exhibits daily vertical movement. It stays near the seabed during daylight hours. At night, it rises into the water column to hunt. Seasonal shifts also occur, with southward travel in spring and northward movement in autumn. Young individuals consume small deep-sea fish and crustaceans. Larger adults prey on squid, other fish, and jack mackerel. Smaller hake are also eaten by their larger kin. This feeding behaviour classifies it as a broad-ranging carnivore.
Breeding and life cycle
Reproductive timing varies according to different reports. Some data suggest spawning happens throughout the year. Other observations indicate a peak from mid-spring to early summer. The species often shares fishing grounds with the deep-water Cape hake. Catches frequently mix both types, although the shallow-water variant extends further north into areas where the deeper species is absent.
Fish and people
It represents a key commercial resource in southern Africa. Fishers use demersal trawling methods to capture it. The South Africa Deep Sea Trawling Industries Association represents this sector. Locals in Afrikaans-speaking regions call it stokvis. This term should not be confused with dried cod, which shares the same English name. The industry relies heavily on this abundant coastal resource.
Questions people ask about South African hake
How big does the South African hake get?
Adults usually average around fifty centimetres in length. The maximum recorded size reaches approximately one hundred and twenty centimetres.
Where does this fish live?
It inhabits the continental shelf and upper slope. Depths range from fifty to five hundred metres, mostly staying above four hundred metres along the south-eastern Atlantic coast.
What does it eat?
Young fish eat small crustaceans and deep-sea fish. Adults consume squid, jack mackerel, and smaller hake. It is a carnivore that hunts in the water column at night.
Is it important for fishing?
Yes, it is a major commercial species in southern Africa. The industry uses demersal trawling and is represented by the South Africa Deep Sea Trawling Industries Association.
Good reading and sources
- Merluccius capensis on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Merluccius capensis", 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.
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