
Red Hake
About The Species
The red hake fishery in the U.S. operates from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Along with silver hake and offshore hake, it is a part of the small-mesh multispecies fishery, which is managed primarily through a series of exemptions from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (or groundfish fishery). The directed commercial fishery is conducted with small-mesh trawl gear with a number of specific requirements to reduce bycatch of larger groundfish species. There are two stocks of red hake (northern and southern) which are managed accordingly. The market for small-mesh multispecies is human consumption and as bait. U.S. wild-caught red hake is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart F.

Population Level
The northern stock is above its target population level. The southern stock is significantly below its target level and fishing rate promotes population growth. A rebuilding plan is being developed for the southern stock.

Fishing Status
At recommended levels for the northern red hake stock. At levels to reduce overfishing for the southern red hake stock.

Habitat Impacts
Fishing gears used to harvest red hake have minimal impacts on habitat.

Bycatch
Raised-footrope trawls are required in designated areas when targeting hake to minimize bycatch of other species.
Status
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There are two stocks of red hake: Gulf of Maine/Northern Georges Bank and Southern Georges Bank/Mid Atlantic. According to the most recent stock assessments:
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The Gulf of Maine/Northern Georges Bank (northern) stock of red hake is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing (2017 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
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The Southern Georges Bank/Mid Atlantic (southern) stock of red hake is overfished and subject to overfishing (2017 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
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Appearance
- Red hake vary in color depending on their environment. Most tend to be a reddish brown to olive-brown color with pale tan spots on their sides and shades of white on their undersides.
- They are a member of the cod family and have a barbel (whisker) on their chin.
- Their dorsal fin is triangular, but their second dorsal and anal fins are long, continuous, and do not attach to the tail fin, much like an eel.
- They have a small head, but a large mouth with many small teeth.
Biology
- Red hake are a member of the cod family.
- They do not grow as large as white hake and normally reach a maximum size of 50 centimeters (20 inches) and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds).
- Females are generally larger than males of the same age, and reach a maximum length of 63 centimeters (25 inches) and a weight of 3.6 kilograms (7.9 pounds).
- Although they generally do not live longer than 8 years, red hake have been recorded up to 14 years old.
- Red hake feed primarily on crustaceans such as decapods and rock crabs as well as fish such as haddock, silver hake, sea robins, sand lance, mackerel, and small red hake.
- Primary predators of red hake include spiny dogfish, cod, goosefish, and silver hake.
Where They Live
- Red hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to North Carolina.
- They are most abundant from the western Gulf of Maine through Southern New England waters.
Management
- NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council manage the red hake fishery.
- Managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan for Small Mesh Multispecies:
- Permitting requirements.
- A cap on the amount of groundfish bycatch that fishing vessels can take.
- Seasonal and spatial limitations on fishing with small mesh nets throughout the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank.
- Trip limits by mesh size and area.
- In-season trip limit reductions and catch monitoring help prevent excessive catches.
- The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed primarily through a series of exemptions from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species, such as red hake, in designated areas using mesh sizes smaller than the minimum mesh size allowed under the Regulated Mesh Area regulations.
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Related Species
Recreational Fishing Regulations
Hakes/whiting are not typically targeted recreationally, but are legal to possess. There are currently no recreational possession, size, or gear restrictions for hakes/whiting caught in federal waters. There are also no specific areas designated for a whiting recreational fishery.
Recreational anglers must still comply with minimum fish size regulations for all recreational fisheries. Recreational anglers will need to get a general recreational fishing license either through your state or through NMFS to fish recreationally for marine species. Visit our permit office or recreational fishing pages for more information.
Reporting A Recreational Catch
Reporting A Recreational Catch
This is not applicable for the red hake (small-mesh multispecies) fishery. Visit the Greater Atlantic Region's recreational fishing page for more information about recreational reporting in general.
Commercial Fishing Regulations
Possession and Size Requirements
The federal possession limit for red hake is:
- 3,000 lb for the northern stock; and
- 5,000 lb for the southern stock.
Note: These limits may differ within specific exemption areas. Please check the Exempted Fishing tab for more information.
There are no fish size limits in the small-mesh multispecies fishery (all hakes, all stocks).
Current Red Hake Specifications (May 1, 2019-April 30, 2020)
Stock | Northern Red | Southern Red |
---|---|---|
Overfishing Limit (OFL) | 840 mt | 1,150 mt |
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 721 mt | 1,060 mt |
Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 685 mt | 1,007 mt |
Total Allowable Landings (TAL) | 274 mt | 305 mt |
Reporting A Commercial Catch
Reporting A Commercial Catch
Catch Reporting and Vessel Trip Reports (VTR)
VTRs must be maintained on board the vessel and submitted to NOAA fisheries with a record of all fishing activity for each month. The reports must be submitted (postmarked, or received by NOAA Fisheries) by Tuesday of the week after the fishing trip ends. Copies of VTRs must be retained on board the vessel for 1 year after the date of the last entry on the log and otherwise retained for 3 years after the date of the last entry on the log. Reports can also be submitted electronically through our online reporting page.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)
There are no specific VMS requirements for vessels fishing in an exempted fishery for small-mesh multispecies. However, if the vessel has VMS requirements because of other permits held by the vessel, the vessel must declare ‘out of fishery’ (DOF) on their VMS unit when fishing for small-mesh multispecies within an exempted fishery. In some cases, another appropriate VMS code may be used, depending on the other permits and other species that may be landed on that trip or within the exempted fishery. For more information about VMS in the small-mesh multispecies fishery or assistance with your VMS codes, call our Office of Law Enforcement VMS team at 978-281–9149.
Other Reporting Information
The small-mesh multispecies fishery does not have any Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or specific observer requirements. However, vessels must abide by NE multispecies regulations when not specifically exempted. Additionally, all federally permitted vessels are obligated to carry an observer if randomly selected by the National Observer Program.
Commercial Gear Information
Commercial Gear Information
For the most part, the gear requirements for the small-mesh multispecies fishery are determined by the exemption or regulated mesh area being fished. The following are some standard small-mesh requirements that may be applicable.
Raised Footrope Trawl
There are some standardized requirements for the raised footrope trawl that are required for four of the northern exempted fisheries (Raised Footrope Trawl Exempted Whiting Fishery [Gulf of Maine (GOM) and/or adjacent to Cape Cod] and Small-Mesh Areas 1 and 2). The trawl gear must be configured in such a way that, when towed, the footrope is not in contact with the ocean bottom. Vessels are presumed to be fishing in such a manner if their trawl gear is designed as specified below:
Headrope
- Floats with a minimum diameter of eight inches; must be attached along the entire length of the headrope with a maximum spacing of four feet between each float.
Ground Gear
- Must be all bare wire; not larger than 1/2 inch in diameter for the top leg, not larger than 5/8 inch in diameter for the bottom leg, and not larger than 3/4 inch in diameter for the ground cables.
- Top legs must be equal with bottom legs, with no extensions.
- Total length of the ground cables must not be greater than 40 fathoms from the doors to the wing ends.
Footrope
- Must be longer than the headrope (but not more than 20 feet longer than the headrope), and must be rigged so that it does not contact the bottom while fishing.
Drop Chains
- Must be used with or without a chain sweep.
- Must be 42 inches in length or greater.
- The maximum size drop chain stock when used with a sweep is 5/16 inch; or 3/8-inch stock when no sweep is used.
- Only bare chain may be used; cookies or additional weights on the drop chains are prohibited.
- Must be hung from the center of the footrope and each corner (the quarter, or the junction of the bottom wing to the belly at the footrope).
- Must be hung at 8-foot intervals along the footrope from the corners to the wing ends.
Sweep Specifications and Optional Sweepless Trawl
The raised footrope trawl may be used with or without a chain sweep. The sweep, if used, must be rigged in the following manner:
- The sweep must be bare chain, the same length as the footrope. (Note: The required drop chains at the wing ends of the footrope effectively make the sweep seven feet longer than the footrope.)
- The maximum size of the sweep is 5/16-inch stock chain.
- The sweep must be attached to the ends of the drop chains.
- The center of the sweep must be attached to the drop chain from the center of the footrope.
- The attachment points of each drop chain on the sweep and the footrope must be the same distance from the center drop chain attachments.
- The ends of the sweep must be attached to the drop chains at the end of the footrope.
Administrative Information
Vessels fishing in the Cultivator Shoal, Raised Footrope Trawl, or Southern New England Exemption areas, and are transiting through the GOM and Georges Bank (GB) Regulated Mesh Area (RMA), with nets with mesh smaller than the minimum mesh size, and small mesh exempted species aboard, must obtain the GOM/GB RMA Transiting Letter of Authorization (LOA) by contacting the Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office at 978-281-9370.
Vessels fishing for whiting with small-mesh in the Raised Footrope Trawl Whiting Exempted Fishery Areas must carry an LOA issued by the Regional Administrator, valid for a minimum of seven days. Participating vessels may withdraw from the program no earlier than seven days from the date of enrollment. LOAs and withdrawals may be obtained from the Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office at 978-281-9370.
Note: Vessels participating in the Raised Footrope Trawl Whiting Fishery may participate in other small-mesh exemption areas provided they adhere to the more restrictive gear, possession, and other requirements for the entire participation period specified in the LOA.
Subsistence Fishing Regulations
Exempted Fishing
What is an Exempted Fishery?
Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species without being subject to certain northeast (NE) multispecies regulations, including days-at-sea, provided the bycatch of regulated species is minimal. To be approved and implemented, exemption programs must have demonstrated that incidental catch of NE multispecies is less than five percent of the total catch, by weight, and that the exemption will not jeopardize fishing mortality objectives.
Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery Exemptions
The small-mesh multispecies (hakes) fishery is primarily managed under a series of fishery exemptions to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). As a result, the majority of the fishery (specific possession limits, gear restrictions, and other management measures) is determined by the exemption area or regulated mesh area being fished.
Within the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GB) Regulated Mesh Areas (RMA) there are five specific exempted fishing areas for small-mesh multispecies/whiting (see map at the bottom of the page), and red hake may be harvested throughout the entire Southern New England (SNE) and Mid-Atlantic (MA) RMAs, under specific requirements.
More specific details for each area can be found on the linked pages within the table below. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required to participate in some of these exempted fishing areas. LOAs can be obtained from our Permits Office at (978) 282-8438, or online by visiting our permits site.
Small-Mesh Multispecies Exemption Areas
Area Name | Season | LOA Reqiuired? |
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GOM Grate Raised Footrope Trawl Whiting Fishery Exemption Area | July 1 - November 30 | No |
Cultivator Shoal Whiting Fishery Exemption Area | June 15 - October 31 | Yes |
Small Mesh Areas 1 & 2 | SMA 1: July 15 - November 15 SMA 2: January 1 - June 30 |
No |
Raised Footrope Trawl Exempted Whiting Fishery Areas (Cape Cod) | September 1 - November 20 / December 31 | Yes |
SNE Exemption Area | Year round | No |
Mid-Atlantic Exemption Area | Year round | No |

Management Overview
The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed by the New England Fishery Management Council, with NOAA Fisheries serving as the implementing body for rules and regulations within the fishery.
The fishery is managed as five stocks of three species of hakes: Northern silver hake, southern silver hake, northern red hake, southern red hake, and offshore hake. Silver hake and offshore hake are often grouped together and collectively referred to as "whiting.â
The fishing year runs from May 1 through April 30; however, because this fishery primarily operates through exemptions from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, the timing of most targeted fishing is highly dependent upon the seasons of specific exemption areas. Specific possession limits, gear restrictions, and other management measures are also often determined by the exemption area or regulated mesh area being fished.
The northern hake stocks are found within the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and northern Georges Bank (GB) regulated mesh areas (RMA), and the southern stocks are within the southern GB, southern New England (SNE) and Mid-Atlantic (MA) RMAs. For more information on exempted fishing areas, visit the Exempted Fishing tab on this page.

Control Date for the Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery: November 28, 2012.
Specifications/Quotas
The Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) requires the annual specification of catch and harvest limits for up to three years at a time. If specifications are not in place at the start of the fishing year, the existing specifications roll over until new regulations are finalized.
Current Red Hake Specifications (May 1, 2019-April 30, 2020)
Stock | Northern Red | Southern Red |
---|---|---|
Overfishing Limit (OFL) | 840 mt | 1,150 mt |
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 721 mt | 1,060 mt |
Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 685 mt | 1,007 mt |
Total Allowable Landings (TAL) | 274 mt | 305 mt |
Inseason Actions
If 90 percent of the southern red hake TAL, or 37.9 percent of the northern red hake TAL is projected to be reached or exceeded, the possession limit of that stock will be reduced to the incidental level of 400 lb per trip for the remainder of the fishing year.
Accountability Measures (AM)
If a small-mesh multispecies ACL is exceeded in a given fishing year, the inseason accountability measure adjustment trigger for that stock will be reduced in subsequent fishing years by one percent for each one percent by which the ACL was exceeded.
For example: If the inseason adjustment trigger is 90 percent, and the ACL is exceeded by 5 percent, the adjustment trigger for the stock whose ACL was exceeded would be reduced to 85 percent for subsequent fishing years.
Regulatory History
- 1987 – Amendment 1 decreased the area for the whiting exempted fishery, and made several other changes to the NE multispecies fishery.
- 1991 – Amendment 4 incorporated silver hake and red hake into the NE Multispecies FMP, and established the Cultivator Shoals Experimental Whiting Fishery.
- 1994 – Framework Adjustment 6 aimed to reduce catch of juvenile whiting in Cultivator Shoals by increasing the minimum mesh size from 2.5” to 3” for that area.
- 1995 – Framework Adjustment 9 established Small-Mesh Areas 1 and 2 and their seasons.
- 1996 – Amendment 7 established additional bycatch species in Cultivator Shoals Exemption Area, as well as many other catch limits and management measures within the NE Multispecies FMP.
- 2000 – Amendment 12 established essential fish habitat (EFH) designations, differential possession limits based on mesh size, a transfer-at-sea provision, year 4 default measures, and included offshore hake into the NE Multispecies FMP.
- 2000 – Framework Adjustment 32 modified the whiting mesh size/possession limit enrollment program and allowed the use of a net strengthener.
- 2000 – Framework Adjustment 35 established the Cape Cod Bay Raised Footrope Trawl area and season.
- 2002 – Modifications to Amendment 12 delayed year 4 default measures.
- 2002 – Modification to Framework 35 modified boundaries and season of Cape Cod Bay Raised Footrope Trawl Area, added another area East of Cape Cod, and adjusted area seasons.
- 2003 – Framework Adjustment 37 eliminated the year 4 default measures, adjusted area seasons, possession limits and species allowed for retention, and clarified the transfer-at-sea provisions.
- 2003 – Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking established new small-mesh multispecies control date of March 25, 2003.
- 2003 – Framework Adjustment 38 established Inshore GOM Whiting Exemption Area, required grate raised footrope trawl, and adjusted area possession limits, species for retention, and seasons.
- 2006 – Amendment 14 scoping measures included for consideration included: Limited entry for commercial vessels, hard total allowable catch (TAC), dedicated access privileges, and recreational measures.
- 2006 – Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking reaffirmed March 25, 2003, control date.
- 2012 – Secretarial Amendment to establish annual catch limits and accountability measures for the small-mesh multispecies fishery.
- 2013 – Amendment 19 modified management measures in the small-mesh multispecies fishery; including the accountability measures, the year-round possession limits, and total allowable landings process.
Science Overview
The most recent stock assessment update for red hake was in 2017, where the northern stock was declared not overfished and overfishing was not occurring; but the southern stock was found to be overfished with overfishing occurring. The next assessment for both stocks of red hake is scheduled for 2019.
Research, Surveys, & Data
Red Hake Stock Statuses Based on Most Recent (2017) Stock Assessment
Stock | Northern Red | Southern Red |
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Biomass (B) | 5.13 kg/tow (2015-2017) | 0.38 kg/tow (2015-2017) |
BThreshold | 1.27 kg/tow | 0.51 kg/tow |
Overfished Definition | The stock is overfished when B (the 3-year moving average of the spring survey weight per tow) < ½ BMSY Proxy (defined as the average observed from 1980 – 2010) | |
Overfished? | No | Yes |
Fishing Mortality Rate (F) | 0.09 kt/kg (2014-2016) | 4.03 kt/kg (2014-2016) |
FThreshold | 0.163 kt/kg | 3.038 kt/kg |
Overfishing Definition | Overfishing occurs when the ratio between catch and spring survey biomass exceeds the overfishing threshold (derived from AIM analyses from 1980-2009) | |
Overfishing? | No | Yes |
Current Rebuilding Program? | No rebuilding plan is in place | Rebuilding plan is under development |
Next Stock Assessment | Assessment scheduled for 2019 | Assessment scheduled for 2019 |
Documents
Age Determination Methods for Northwest Atlantic Species
This manual documents age determination techniques used by staff at the Woods Hole Laboratory to…