Wild New Zealand Hoki
From our Fish For Tomorrow Range
There is a dilemma for fish-lovers. The choice seems to be between further depleting wild fish stocks, or the environmental and potential health damage from intensively farmed fish such as salmon.
Graig Farm's Sustainable Fish range offers an alternative of organic farmed fish or wild fish from sustainably managed wild fisheries. New Zealand is well known for its good levels of fishery management. The Hoki fishery is sufficiently well managed to have been awarded Marine Stewardship Council approval.
The Management of the Fishery
The New Zealand hoki fishery is also respected internationally for being managed sustainably, and for its strenuous efforts to mitigate any adverse environmental effects. In March 2001, the New Zealand hoki fishery became the world's first large whitefish stock to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. This eco-label is independent confirmation that New Zealand hoki is being sustainably managed.
Ongoing research and stock assessment processes, and the application of ecological risk assessment methods underpin the fishery’s reputation for sustainability. The New Zealand Hoki industry is committed to minimising the incidental by-catch of seabirds, marine mammals, fish and invertebrates, and funds ongoing research to achieve this aim. The fishery adheres to codes of practice to mitigate the by-catch of marine mammals (fur seals and sea lions), and seabirds.
The fish are caught, processed and frozen on board the fishing fleet, maintaining their freshness until you come to enjoy them. They are sent to the UK by sea, as one of the criteria of Graig Farm's Sustainable Fish range is that no air freighting is used.
The Hoki
New Zealand hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) is a member of the hake family (Merlucciidae). Extraordinarily sleek and long - they can measure up to 1.8 metres - hoki are a rather striking opalescent steely blue with tones of silvery grey and green. One of their special features is a long whip-tail, rather than the more usual forked fish tail, which allows them to swim and cover great distances in the oceans around New Zealand’s South Island. Hoki live amongst their own kind in shoals of thousands. When they congregate for spawning in early June, they end up aggregating in mega-schools that can be hundreds of metres deep and kilometres long and wide. They are mainly caught deep in the ocean, between 400 and 700 metres, using mid-water or bottom trawls.
The Eating Quality
Hoki is in demand because its flesh is moist, white and delicate, with few bones. As an excellent alternative to cod or haddock, it suits a wide range of cooking methods. Try hoki pan-fried, poached, baked, au natural, coated in batter or breadcrumbs, or with your favourite sauce. Alternatively, experiment with one of our delicious recipes.
The Range
New Zealand Hoki is available from Graig Farm as a frozen fillet, of 4-6 oz (110-170g). Whilst we endeavour to deliver them to you fully frozen, some small degree of defrosting may occur, but the fish can be popped in the freezer without any detrimental effects.
Hoki Fillet
This product is part of the Graig Farm range of sustainably produced fish.
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