Animalia Life

Urophycis tenuis
FAMILY
Phycidae
TAXONOMY
Urophycis tenuis Mitchill, 1814, New York.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Mud hake (Canada).
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Single anal fin. Two dorsal fins, the first short based and moderate in height, with one elongate ray. A single-chin barbel. Pelvic fin comprised of two very elongate rays, not quite reaching level of anus. Upper limb of gill raker with two gill rakers; caudal fin with 33–39 rays.
DISTRIBUTION
Most commonly from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as far south as Florida in deeper water and around the coasts of Iceland.
HABITAT
Soft, muddy bottoms of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope. Most occur deeper than 656 ft (200 m). Also found in deeper basins in the Gulf of Maine and submarine canyons along the edge of the continental shelf. Juveniles depend on estuaries during their first spring and summer, where they are common in eel grass beds and other structured habitats.
BEHAVIOR
Young white hake engage in sand-hiding
BEHAVIOR
, whereby they bury themselves in sand with only their heads protruding. The entire population typically moves into deeper waters in the fall, although the largest sizes occur in depths of 656 ft (200 m) and deeper and move very little, if at all.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Juveniles feed on polychaetes, shrimps, and other crustaceans. Adults also feed on crustaceans, but augment their diet with fishes, including juvenile white hake.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Spawning occurs in early spring off the northeastern United States, with a separate spawning event during summer over the Scotian Shelf and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Able and Fahay 1998). Larvae develop into a silvery pelagic–juvenile stage that is strongly associated with the ocean surface. These soon migrate into estuaries, where they settle to their first bottom stage, and remain through the summer.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN. Total landings of white hake increased from about 1,102 tn (1,000 t) during the late 1960s to 9,150 tn (8,300 t) in 1985. Landings then declined to 5,622 tn (5,100 t) in 1989, rose sharply to 10,582 tn (9,600 t) in 1992, and have since steadily declined to levels not seen since the early 1970s. Total landings in 1998 were 2,866 tn (2,600 t), a 30% decline from 1996. Results of the most recent assessment indicate the Gulf of Maine–Georges Bank white hake stock is in an overfished condition.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Since 1968, the United States fishery has accounted for approximately 90% of the Gulf of Maine–Georges Bank white hake catch, but Canadian fishermen also land significant amounts from Newfoundland and northern Gulf of Maine. Larger fish are marketed fresh or as frozen fillets. Smaller fish are sometimes used for animal feed.

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