Buyer guide: hake species comparison
Argentine hake vs Cape hake: Merluccius hubbsi, capensis and paradoxus
Spanish and other European buyers often compare merluza argentina with merluza del Cabo. The two trades are different species, from different FAO areas, with different MSC statuses. Here is what official sources say, and what they do not say.
Last reviewed . First published 2026-11-12.
This page compares official facts. It does not rank eating quality. Where a source does not give a fact for both origins, the cell is left blank or the gap is stated.
Side-by-side facts from official sources
| Argentine hake | Cape hake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Merluccius hubbsi (FAO catalogue; FAO fact sheet) | Usually two species, often reported together: Merluccius capensis (shallow-water Cape hake) and Merluccius paradoxus (deep-water Cape hake) (FAO catalogue) |
| FAO area | Southwest Atlantic, Area 41 | Southeast Atlantic, Area 47 (FAO catalogue; MSC fishery pages below) |
| Range, in brief | FAO describes a southwestern Atlantic range from about 21 degrees 30' S to 49 degrees S. The site's hake page also cites INIDEP: southern Brazil to about 55 degrees S, mainly 50 to 400 m (FAO; INIDEP) | M. capensis: southeastern Atlantic from Farta Bay near Benguela (about 12 degrees 30' S) to the Cape of Good Hope, and around the Agulhas Bank to Natal; more frequently found between 50 and 400 m, overlapping with M. paradoxus between 200 and 400 m (FAO catalogue) |
| Size (FAO) | Maximum recorded length 95 cm; males commonly to 50 cm, females to 60 cm (FAO) | M. capensis: maximum known length 120 cm; common from 40 to 60 cm (FAO) |
| Gear, as described by FAO / MSC | Bottom trawl is the gear named on our hake page (INIDEP, MarinTrust) | Both species are caught with trawls operating on the bottom by day (FAO). Certified Namibian units also include longlines (MSC, Namibia) |
| How FAO says it is marketed | Marketed fresh in Argentina and Uruguay, and exported frozen whole and gutted or in fillets, primarily to the European Union and the United States (FAO catalogue) | FAO calls shallow-water Cape hake "a high-quality product" and says it is marketed fresh, whole or in fillets, gutted and frozen in blocks, with or without skin; most catches are exported to Europe, mainly to Spain (FAO catalogue) |
| Spanish local names (FAO) | Merluza, merluza argentina, merluza hubbsi | For M. capensis: merluza del Cabo, cabezudo, carioca, pijota, pitillos (juveniles) |
| FDA acceptable market name (US) | Whiting; common name Argentine Hake (FDA Seafood List) | For M. capensis: Whiting or Cape Hake; common name Shallow-Water Cape Hake (FDA Seafood List) |
| MSC status (checked 2026-11-12) | Not certified. No hubbsi fishery is listed on MSC Fisheries. A CeDePesca FIP covers the southern stock, which is not a certification (MSC search; CeDePesca). See the MSC status page. | South Africa hake trawl: certified since 16 April 2004, expires 31 August 2031, MSC-F-31187, both species, bottom trawls, Area 47 (MSC). Namibia hake trawl and longline: certified since 17 November 2020, expires 16 January 2031, MSC-F-31487 (MSC). South Africa hake longline: in assessment, not certified (MSC) |
FAO's phrase "high-quality product" is quoted from the Cape hake species account. It is not a comparison with Argentine hake, and we do not add a quality ranking of our own.
Why the names get mixed
Both trades are merluza in Spanish and "hake" in everyday English, but they are not interchangeable on a specification. Catch reports of M. capensis are often combined with M. paradoxus because the two are similar (FAO ). Argentine landings, FAO warns, may also include some southern hake (Merluccius australis) recorded as Argentine hake (FAO ). Write the scientific name you want.
In 2025, official Argentine export data (SAGyP, based on INDEC) show frozen hake fillets going mainly to Spain (21,534 t) and Brazil (21,049 t), with the United States third (6,076 t). Whole, H&G and HGT hake went mainly to Russia and a spread of smaller markets, including Spain at 2,132 t (SAGyP 2025; also tabulated in the HGT guide). Those figures are tonnes only, and they describe Argentine exports, not Cape hake trade.
What this desk can source
ArgentineSeafood.com sources only Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) and Argentine red shrimp, from Argentine processors and exporters. If you need hubbsi fillets or HGT, see the fillet guide and the HGT guide, and send the scientific name, cut, grade and packing in the quote request.
If your customer requires an MSC-certified hake, Argentine hubbsi will not meet that requirement today. Do not assume a Cape-hake certificate can be applied to an Argentine lot.
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
Are Argentine hake and Cape hake the same species?
No. Argentine hake is Merluccius hubbsi (FAO Area 41). Cape hake usually means Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus (FAO Area 47), often landed together (FAO catalogue).
Is Argentine hake MSC certified? Is Cape hake?
Argentine hake is not MSC certified (MSC search). South Africa's hake trawl and Namibia's hake trawl and longline fisheries are certified; South Africa's hake longline fishery is in assessment (MSC; MSC; MSC).
What names are used in Spain and in the United States?
In Spanish, merluza argentina (or merluza hubbsi) is distinguished from merluza del Cabo (FAO local names). For US labels, FDA lists Whiting as the acceptable market name for M. hubbsi, and Whiting or Cape Hake for M. capensis (FDA; FDA).
Which origin should I specify in a quote request?
Write the scientific name and the catch area. This desk sources only Merluccius hubbsi from Argentina. If you need hubbsi, say so clearly so that a Cape-hake offer is not substituted.
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.
- FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes No. 2, Hakes of the World, chapter on Merluccius (pdf)
- FAO species fact sheet, Merluccius hubbsi (web archive copy, already used on the hake page)
- INIDEP, Biology and fishery of the Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi)
- FDA Seafood List: Merluccius hubbsi
- FDA Seafood List: Merluccius capensis
- MSC Fisheries search for "hubbsi" (0 results on 11 Nov 2026)
- CeDePesca: Argentine hake (bottom trawl) Fishery Improvement Project
- MSC Fisheries: South Africa hake trawl
- MSC Fisheries: Namibia hake trawl and longline fishery
- MSC Fisheries: South Africa hake longline
- SAGyP, Direccion de Planificacion Pesquera: Exportaciones e importaciones pesqueras y acuicolas 2025 (based on INDEC)
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