peruvian hake
Merluccius peruanus
Hake of the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, highly commercial, living between 50 and 500 m deep. It is sold fresh and frozen and also turned into fishmeal.
Also called: merluza-peruana, huaycuya, peje palo, peruvian hake
- maximum
- 68 cm
- depth
- 50–500 m
who is the peruvian hake
The Peruvian hake belongs to the family Merlucciidae and reaches 68 cm in males, and females are larger. It lives from the shallow shelf to the upper slope, between 50 and 500 m, in the southeastern Pacific, along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, from Paita to Huarmey. Adults reach maturity at about 35 cm. Sometimes they stay away from the bottom, in midwater. It is sold fresh and frozen and also goes to fishmeal. It has very high commercial value.
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 peruvian hake; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Hake with an elongated body, silvery on the back and silvery-whitish on the belly. The tail fin edge is usually concave, as in other hakes of the region. It lives between 50 and 500 m, near the bottom or in midwater. Telling it apart from the Chilean hake, which lives farther south, depends on details of the head and skeleton more than on color.
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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
Occurs in the southeastern Pacific, along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, from Paita to Huarmey.
Habitat: From the shelf to the upper slope, from 50 to 500 m, near the bottom or sometimes in midwater.
rules for the peruvian hake
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.
It poses no danger to anglers. As a deep-water fish, rapid ascent causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and frozen, and also goes to fishmeal.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00513, b = 3.09; 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: Merluccius peruanus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Merluccius peruanusNames by country and language.
