Cape hake

Cape hake
Cape hake ( Merluccius capensis )
Systematics
Acanthomorphata Paracanthopterygii Order : Cod-like (Gadiformes) Family : Merlucciidae Genre : Merluccius Type : Cape hake
Scientific name
Merluccius capensis
Castelnau , 1861

The Cape hake ( Merluccius capensis ) is a species of the hake (Merlucciidae) that is native to the southeastern Atlantic .

features

This hake grows to an average of 40 to 60 centimeters and can reach a maximum length of 120 centimeters. This fish is brown on the back, and on the belly it turns silver or white. The fish has two dorsal fins , the first has a hard and 9 to 11 soft fin rays. The second consists of 38 to 43 soft fin rays. The anal fin consists of 37 to 41 soft fin rays. The tips of the pectoral fins extend to the beginning of the anal fin. In general, they are very similar to Merluccius paradoxus , which comes from the same genus .

distribution

The Cape Hake lives in the south-eastern Atlantic from Namibia to the Cape of Good Hope , around the Agulhas Basin , to the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal . This distribution overlaps with that of the two related species Merluccius polli and, in deeper waters, Merluccius paradoxus .

Way of life

During the day, this species usually lives near the sea floor and only becomes active at night. It mostly feeds on species that also live close to the ground, for example crustaceans, small deep-sea fish, anchovies, mackerel and herrings. They are aggressive hunters and especially larger specimens, which usually reach a size of over 60 centimeters, are prone to cannibalism, which can make up up to 70 percent of the diet. Young fish that are less than 15 centimeters in length feed primarily on small crustaceans and lanternfish. Small and young specimens go into shallower waters at night to hunt and eat zooplankton, among other things. Most of the time they spend at sea depths of approx. 50 to 400 meters, maximum 500.

Male hake reach sexual maturity at a length of 30 to 35 centimeters within approx. 3.5 years, female individuals at a length of approx. 45 centimeters at an age of approx. 4.5 years. With age, female specimens grow larger than males and can ultimately be twice as large as male Cape hake. Spawning takes place in the western part of the Agulhas Basin , from there the eggs are washed towards the north. Although spawning takes place all year round, more fish spawn in spring and summer, especially in November and December.

This species itself is also an important part of the South African fur seal .

Fishing

Merluccius capensis , along with Merluccius paradoxus, is one of the most important fish in the commercial fishery in Namibia. The combined yields of these two species were the largest catches of hake in the world until 1978. The exact catch rates of this species cannot be determined because the range overlaps so strongly with that of Merluccius paradoxus, the information given by fishermen about their catches is imprecise and Merluccius capensis is often confused with Merluccius paradoxus due to its great similarity . But it appears that most of the Cape hake are caught in the Agulhas Basin . It is believed that up to 70 percent of the commercial catch in this region comes from the Cape hake. The mass of Cape hake caught depends on the time of day; an average of 212 kilograms of Merluccius capensis are caught during the day and over 70 kilograms per hour at night.

In 1960 the catch of this species was 400 tons. In 2000 it was around 650 tons, after which the mass of fish caught rose significantly and rose to around 5,800 tons by 2007. After this peak, the catch sank again until 2009 and then increased again significantly to around 10,800 tons in 2014.

Endangerment and preservation

This species is common in its range, the population increased slightly in deeper waters, but in general it has decreased significantly. Intensive fishing poses a threat to this species, but stocks are stable and show no signs of collapse. The catch of this fish has been certified as well managed and sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council . Therefore, this species is classified as not endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) .

supporting documents

1. ^ ^{A b c} Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Merluccius capensis (Castelnau, 1861). FAO Departments and Offices, accessed September 19, 2017 .  
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Merluccius capensis in the IUCN 2017-2 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Iwamoto, T., 2012-07-12.
3. ↑ Merluccius capensis on Fishbase.org (English)