armed with formidable teeth reminiscent of those of the pike. Thus it used to be called "sea 

 pike" (Maris luciiis). Unlike the cod-like fishes living in polar waters, the hake is a fish of 

 Atlantic waters and keeps to the layers of the transgressions. In our regions it is stenothermal, 

 living at water temperatures between 8° and 12° C, and as it is stenohaline it remains in waters 

 with a salinity of 35 "/oo- The studies of G. Belloc and .J. Cadenat have enabled us to distinguish 

 local races according to the vertebral complement and the number of fin-rays in the first dorsal 

 fin (D.l). These are : (a) Irish race, var. seplenlrionalis; D.l = 10, 51/52 vertebrae; (b) Franco- 

 Iberian race, var. ailaniicus; D.l = 10, 50/51 vertebrae; (c) Moroccan race, var. allanticus; 

 D.l. = 10, pelvic fins short; (d) Mediterranean race, var. medilerranciis, D.l. = 10, 52 vertebrae, 

 pelvic fins long; (e) Senegalese race, var. senegalensis, D.l = 11, 54 vertebrae; (f) Congo race, 

 var. poUi, D.l = 10, 53 vertebrae; (g) Cape race, var. capensis, D.l = 11, 51 vertebrae. 



The Senegalese hake is distinguished from the European form by its darker, almost black, 

 colour, by its softer flesh, and by its larger eyes. Off the Mauretanian coast these two varieties, 

 which are called white-hake and black-hake, live in the same area. 



Other kinds of hake are found elsewhere. Along the American coast (Newfoundland and 

 Maine) there is Merlnccins linearis; in the Pacific, along the (lalifornian coast, M.prodnctiis; 

 off Chile and New Zealand (M.gagi). 



In the Atlantic hake, growth is more rapid in the southern races, the females growing faster 

 than the males. The yearly increase in size, which is about 4 inches at the beginning, slows 

 down after a time. On an average, a three-year old hake measures 14 inches; towards 6 years, 

 28 inches and towards 10 or 11 years, 39 inches. The Mediterranean race consists of small 

 hake barely exceeding a length of 15 inches, a size reached towards 10 or 12 years. In the 

 Atlantic hake sexual maturity is attained after 3 or 4 years, when the males measure 15 and the 

 females 20 inches. These data show the great danger of a loo intensive fishery of this species, and 

 this is what is actually occurring. It is really criminal from an economic standpoint to allow 

 the fishery and the sale of young hake of 6 and 8 inches. They are profitlessly destroyed, whereas 

 they would later become fishes with a high market value. \'ear by year the fishing grounds of 

 the continental shelf are becoming impoverished, and neither the improvident ship-owners 

 nor the indifferent public authorities think of applying any remedy. 



During the winter, hake live on the Atlantic slope at a depth of 100 fathoms, often close 

 to the corals. Spawning occurs when deep-seated transgressions reach the continental shelf : 

 in April and May off the Spanish coast; in June in the Bay of Biscay and in the Celtic Sea towards 

 .July. Along the African coast and in the Mediterranean, where the effect of the transgression 

 is feeble or lacking, spawning occurs in winter. Hake enter the North Sea from July to October 

 but do not reproduce there. They only move into this sea for a few months simply to feed. 

 The eggs float and the young hake move coastwards towards depths of 25 to 40 fathoms in 

 summer, where they grow up in the warm water masses exposed to the sun. The large repro- 

 ductive individuals rarely leave the edge of the continental shelf. When the transgressions are 

 strong the hake move with them to the north and are met with as far as the coasts of Scandinavia. 



It is only quite recently that hake has become a favoured food-fish. Sixty years ago 

 French housewives set little store by "colin" and no one would have dared to serve it at a middle- 

 class table. Now it is the favourite fish and fetches unforeseen prices. In the Middle Ages it 

 was fished in the Bay of Biscay and salted, Penmarc'h then being the great port of registry. 

 The discovery of the Newfoundland Banks by the Basques ("Terre Bacalaos") and the success 

 then enjoyed by salt cod ousted the hake. Furthermore, a terrible storm in 1404 destroyed 

 the whole fleet, which was not rebuilt. The looting and burning of Penmarc'h during the 

 wars of the League brought about the ruin of the hake fishery. 



Sea-breams rank next in importance among the mass of fishes brougiit back by our trawler. 

 A great many of them with shining pinkish backs stand out beside the grey hake. They have 

 a black spot on each shoulder and the sun gleams on their white bellies. The common sea- 

 bream (Pagellus cenlrodonhis ) belongs to the large family Sparidae, which contains a number 

 of edible species. It is a fine fish with a rounded head, large eyes and a laterally compressed 

 body : it can reach 15 to 20 inches in length. It is also a warm-water dweller, and keeps to 

 waters with a salinity close to 35.4 °/o(,. In winter the sea-breams stay on the slope at a dejith 



57 



