Hoki

Average length 60-100 cm, average weight 1.5 kg. Blue-green above, silvery on sides and belly, dark fins, smooth skin, large and easily dislodged scales. Related to hake. Sometimes referred to as blue grenadier but not related to the grenadiers or rattails. Distinguished from the smaller javelin fish by pointed snout, smaller eye and silver belly. A deepwater fish, but ranges from 5-900 m. Most abundant around the South Island in 200-800 m but also occurs around the North Island and New Zealandâ&128;&153;s sub-antarctic islands. Caught mainly by trawling. Taken all year round with a number of seasonal fishers in different parts of the EEZ and a major winter fishery, June-September, on spawning fish off the west coast of the South Island. A very large resource, probably capable of yielding at least 200,000 tonnes per annum.