Top Silver Hake Fishing Countries

Silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis), also known as whiting, is a slender, predatory fish found primarily along the northwest Atlantic coast, from Newfoundland to South Carolina. Renowned for its soft, white flesh, silver hake is a commercially valuable species targeted mainly by trawl fisheries. The United States and Canada are the top silver hake fishing countries, with significant landings occurring in the waters off New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Historically, Russia and several European nations, including Spain and Portugal, have also participated in the silver hake fishery, particularly during the mid-20th century when distant-water fleets operated off North America. Today, the U.S. and Canada remain the primary harvesters, managing the fishery through quotas and seasonal restrictions to ensure sustainability and support the regional seafood industry.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.