Let Them Eat Hake!

The Cornish Hake fishery is an incredible success story and an inspiring example of what can be achieved to help fisheries recover. As recently as 2006, Hake was a species that was suffering from significant over-fishing and stocks were falling - it was most definitely not sustainable and was highlighted as a species 'to avoid'.

Thanks to fishermen working closely with marine scientists and fisheries regulators, in less than 10 years, the fishery has seen a remarkable recovery. It is 'Recommended' by the Cornwall Good Seafood Guide.

A hake recovery plan was introduced in the late 1990s in which fishing for hake was strictly controlled and now stocks are far bigger than they’ve been for years. The Cornish hake gill net fishery was certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2015. Thanks to pro-active steps taken by fishermen down here, in just 15 years, the stocks have gone from “being seriously depleted”, to very healthy!

A deep-sea member of the cod family with a stunning subtle flavour, hake is very versatile for a whole range of dishes with a soft and milky texture. Practically a national dish in Spain, where it is known as Merluza, hake is a much-loved species! As a result, lots of the fish landed in Cornwall gets exported, and we would like to encourage as many people as possible to try this stunning fish.

Hake is not only incredibly tasty, it’s super-healthy and an excellent source of Omega 3 oils, packing a whopping 1,218mg per 140g portion!

We spoke to Founder of the Cornwall Good Seafood Guide, Matt Slater, about this superstar species down at Newlyn Market….

A fantastic recipe to enjoy is a classic Hake en Papillote. Simply lay the fish on a bed of greens, add a little cooking liquor and seal everything into a parcel for a simple, flavour-packed dish. How’s this for a mouth-watering meal…

Sustainability is what we're all about and at Fish for Thought, we make it our mission to lead the way in sustainable sourcing, so go on, get hooked on hake!

Find out more about the Cornwall Good Seafood Guide. Click here