patagonian grenadier
Macruronus magellanicus
A schooling hake of the outer shelf of Argentina and Chile, of great commercial value. It is little targeted by sport fishing.
Also called: merluza-de-cauda, merluza de cola, argentino, colihuasca, Patagonian grenadier
- maximum
- 115 cm
- record/max.
- 5.0 kg
- depth
- 30–500 m
who is the patagonian grenadier
A schooling fish of the family Macruronidae, with an elongated body and a blue-purple back, which lives on the outer shelf, 30 to 500 m deep. It reaches 115 cm and up to 5 kg. It migrates south in spring and summer, and north in winter. It feeds mainly on fish such as herring, anchovies and lanternfish, as well as mysids, cephalopods and euphausiids. It has great commercial importance and is sold fresh, frozen and as fishmeal.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the patagonian grenadier; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
An elongated fish with a blue-purple back and a silver belly with a slight bluish tone. Small dark spots are scattered on the membranes of the dorsal and anal fins, and the mouth is dark inside. In the same region, the Austral hake (Merluccius australis) has a steel-gray back, not blue-purple.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it lives on the outer shelf of Argentina and southern Chile, with records from Uruguay.
Habitat: Outer shelf, 30 to 500 m, in schools.
rules for the patagonian grenadier
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The spines are not dangerous. If it is caught in deep water, ascent causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh and frozen, and also used as fishmeal.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00407, b = 2.97; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Macruronus magellanicus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Macruronus magellanicusNames by country and language.
