Description

Hoki is no looker, but a rather homely, tapered, rat-tailed specimen. It’s blue-green above and silvery on the sides and belly. Hoki belongs to the hake family Merluccidae. This deepwater species is harvested year-round from depths of from 600 to 2,500 feet by trawlers working waters off New Zealand, southern Australia and Tasmania. These vessels typically process and freeze the catch at sea. Hoki average between 3 and 4 pounds but can reach up to 15 pounds. Virtually all hoki consumed in the United States is imported frozen from New Zealand. Most fresh hoki fillets are marketed in New Zealand and Australia, though limited supplies are available for export. A significant share of New Zealand’s hoki resource is processed into surimi for export to Japan. Hoki is also excellent for forming into blocks and is suited to further processing into a wide range of value-added products.

Images and data provided by SeafoodSource. To view the entire Seafood Handbook, visit SeafoodSource.com.