Hoki

So have you ever wondered where the fish in your sandwiches comes from? Would you be surprised to find out that one of the most popular commercially served species is a weird looking, skinny fish that lives at depths of around 3,300ft (1000m)?

Macruronus novaezelandiae

Meet the Hoki (or Blue Grenadier), the fish responsible for the McDonalds Filet O' Fish. Found around Australia and New Zealand, this slender, relatively deep sea dweller is considered by many to be a model of sustainable fishing. However, in 2009 a New York Times article questioned the Hoki fishing practices in New Zealand. While the country disputed the article, they did end up lowering the yearly quota by 2/3. Around 11 million pounds of Hokia re used by just McDonalds every year.

Hoki are actually related to Cod, which makes the food popularity less surprising. They live in schools and feed on other deep-ish sea creatures. They are also relatively longed lived for a fish, and have a lifespan of up to 25 years. When it comes time to breed, females can lay up to 1 million eggs at a time!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Australia and New Zealand
Size : Length up to 45in (114cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Gadiformes
Family : Merlucciidae -- Genus : Macruronus-- Species : M. novaezelandiae