Spain continues to dominate Europe's hake market

Of all the finfish landed in the EU, hake (Merluccius merluccius) has the highest first-sale value – reaching a 10-year peak of EUR 583 million (USD 637.7 million) in 2014, based on a record volume of 169,700 metric tons (MT). Hake is also the most important fish species consumed in Spain with retail sales of “la merluza,” as it is known locally, now reaching almost EUR 780 million (USD 853.2 million). Indeed, Spain’s hake consumption averages 3.5 kg per capita, which is more than three …