Priority Species: White Hake
Scientific name: Urophycis tenuis
Photo: Claude Nozères, DFO, White Hake
Photo: Claude Nozères, DFO, White Hake
White Hake fillets
DFO Stock Status: Critical Zone (3/5 stocks); Cautious Zone (2/5 stocks)
COSEWIC Status: Endangered (Southern Gulf of St Lawrence) & Threatened (Atlantic and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence population)
Dive deeper into stock-specific status details.
Seafood Watch
Ocean Wise
MSC – not certified
Low population levels are the major concern with White hake across its entire distribution. Although directed fishing for White hake mostly ended in the Maritimes region in the 1990s, there are still active directed fisheries in two areas, one of which has no catch restrictions assigned.
Even with a continuation of closures and bycatch restrictions there remains a 20 per cent probability of White hake populations going extinct within five generations. However, without these measures, the populations may reach extinction within 5-25 years. High natural mortality2 exists in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, likely due to seal predation.
White hake has been under review for listing under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2013, with no decision made as of 2018.
Population: A primary solution is to assign a catch restriction to the 3Ps stock as fishing interest and landings within this stock have increased over the past year. Working with Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) member organizations will also ensure that quota setting within 3LNO does not hinder stock recovery.
Bycatch: White hake is still caught as a bycatch in many other groundfish fisheries. This should be monitored and reported, and catch estimates included in total fishing mortality.
Habitat: There are currently no specific habitat protections for White hake, although some protection may be offered through cod spawning closures. Habitat protection should be included in marine conservation areas’ target priorities.
Gear: Low impact gear, such as bottom longline, should be used where possible.
Management/Monitoring: Assess monitoring levels to ensure all bycatch is properly recorded. SeaChoice will participate in the SARA listing decision processes when it takes place.
Markets: SeaChoice will work to better understand where the markets are for White hake and aim to improve traceability of this species in the marketplace.
DFO – Aquatic Species at Risk profiles:
- White Hake (Atlantic and Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence population)
- White Hake (Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence)
Common/Market Name
White Hake
Distribution
Bay of Fundy to Newfoundland
Harvest Method
Gear types: bottom longline, bottom gillnet, bottom trawl
Management Agency
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): Maritimes Region, Gulf Region, Newfoundland and Labrador Region
Market Distribution
70 per cent is exported to the United States and Asian markets (data from DFO and Statistics Canada).
