Buyer guide: Merluccius hubbsi fillets
Argentine hake fillets: skinless PBI, grades and interleaved packing
Frozen hubbsi fillets are the main Argentine hake export by tonne. There is no official grade table. This page follows the sea-frozen skinless PBI specification published by Estrella Patagonica, plus official labelling and export figures, and explains how to write the cut so the offer matches what you need.
Last reviewed . First published 2026-11-12.
FAO says Argentine hake is marketed fresh in Argentina and Uruguay, and is exported frozen whole and gutted or in fillets, primarily to the European Union and the United States (FAO catalogue). Official 2025 export data group frozen fillets as the largest hake line (68,955 t), ahead of whole / H&G / HGT (54,454 t), with Spain and Brazil the two largest fillet destinations (SAGyP 2025; full destination table in the HGT guide). This page covers fillets only. For headed and gutted fish, use the HGT guide. For species identification against Cape hake, use the comparison page.
The published example: skinless, PBI, interleaved
| Cut | Skinless hake fillets, PBI, as published by Estrella Patagonica |
|---|---|
| Freezing and pack | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
| PBI | The page lists the product as "Skinless Hake fillets PBI". In the trade this means pin bone in: the pin bones remain in the fillet. It is not a synonym for boneless. There is no official Argentine protocol in our sources that defines the abbreviation. If you need the pin bones removed, write "pin bone out" or "boneless" in the request. |
If you need a different cut (for example skin-on, or boneless), state it in the request. This page does not cite a published grade table for those cuts.
Weight grades, as published by Estrella Patagonica
There is no official common fillet grade table. The bands below are the ones Estrella Patagonica publishes for this sea-frozen skinless PBI product (EPSA). Other producers may use different bands.
| Code | Grade (grams per fillet) | Presentation and net weight |
|---|---|---|
| Nº 0 | 40-60 | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
| Nº 1 | 60-100 | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
| Nº 2 | 100-140 | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
| Nº 3 | 140-180 | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
| Nº 4 | 180-220 | Sea frozen, interleaved, about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) |
Give the band in grams (and the code only if you also give the grams), the cut, and the pack. A "60-100 g" fillet is not the same specification as a wider band that merely overlaps it.
Interleaved packing
In the published example, fillets are interleaved (separated by plastic) and packed in a carton of about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) (EPSA). Interleaving makes portioning easier than a solid block. If you need another pack (for example IQF or block), state it in the request. This page does not cite a published grade table for those packs.
We found no public, neutral source that ranks the eating quality of sea-frozen versus land-frozen hubbsi fillets, so we do not rank them. Ask for a specification sheet and a sample. The same approach is used in the HGT guide.
Glaze, labelling and documents
- Where a food has been glazed, the declared net weight must exclude the glaze if the goods are labelled under Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Annex IX.
- Fishery products offered to the final consumer or a mass caterer in the EU must show the commercial and scientific name, production method, catch area, fishing gear category and whether the product was defrosted (Regulation (EU) 1379/2013, Article 35). For this product: Merluccius hubbsi, caught, Southwest Atlantic.
- If the destination is the EU or the United States, see also Importing into the EU and Spain and Importing into the United States (the US acceptable market name for this species is Whiting; Argentine Hake is the common name).
- Argentine hake is not MSC certified. See the MSC status page and the Cape hake comparison.
Checklist for a fillet quote request
- Species: Merluccius hubbsi (Argentine hake)
- Skinless or skin-on; scaled if skin-on
- Bone spec: PBI (pin bone in) as in the published example, or pin bone out / boneless, written in words
- Weight band in grams per fillet, and the share allowed outside the band
- Sea frozen or land frozen; interleaved or another pack; carton net weight
- Declared glaze percentage and whether net weight excludes glaze
- Labelling language and the mandatory fields for your market
- Volume, Incoterm (FOB, CFR or CIF) and target shipment month
- Any audits or certificates your customer requires
Not legal or commercial advice. This page summarises public documents for orientation only. Rules, seasons and certificates change. Confirm every requirement with the issuing authority, your customs broker and your supplier before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What does PBI mean on a hake fillet?
Estrella Patagonica lists the product as "Skinless Hake fillets PBI" (EPSA). In the trade, PBI means pin bone in. It is not a synonym for boneless. If you need the pin bones removed, say pin bone out or boneless in the request.
What fillet weight grades are published on the source we cite?
EPSA lists sea-frozen interleaved bands of 40-60, 60-100, 100-140, 140-180 and 180-220 g, in about 14 kg (2 x 7 kg) cartons (EPSA). Always state the band in grams.
Is the published example skin-on or skinless?
The Estrella Patagonica page cited here is skinless (EPSA). If you need skin-on, say so in the request.
How should glaze and net weight be declared for the EU?
Where a food has been glazed, the declared net weight must exclude the glaze (Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Annex IX). Agree the percentage and the check method with the supplier.
Sources for this page
All links checked 2026-11-12. Supplier pages are examples published by sellers, not standards. Full site list on our sources page.
- Estrella Patagonica S.A., sea-frozen skinless hubbsi hake fillets
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, common market organisation for fishery products, Article 35 (EUR-Lex)
- SAGyP, Direccion de Planificacion Pesquera: Exportaciones e importaciones pesqueras y acuicolas 2025 (based on INDEC)
- FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes No. 2, Hakes of the World, chapter on Merluccius (pdf)
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