Blue grenadier
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[Photo] Blue grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae. From plate 101 of Oceanic Ichthyology by G. Brown Goode and Tarleton H. Bean, published 1896.

The blue grenadier, hoki, blue hake, New Zealand whiptail, whiptail or whiptail hake, Macruronus novaezelandiae, is a merluccid hake of the genus Macruronus, found around southern Australia, and New Zealand, at depths of between 10 and 1,000 m. Its length is between 60 and 120 cm.

The blue grenadier is similar in appearance to the rattails, with large eyes and a very elongate tapering body ending in a pointed tail consisting of the fusing of the second dorsal fin and the anal fin. There is a short spinous first dorsal fin. This fish-eating carnivore has a large mouth containing sharp pointed teeth used to catch and eat lantern fish, its main prey, but crustaceans and squid are also taken.

Its body colour is pale blue-green above, silver on the sides and belly, and the fins are darker.

The blue grenadier is the subject of a large commercial fishery industry in New Zealand, which has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as well-managed and sustainable in March 2001. The MSC certification ended in April 2007. Reassessment of the certification commenced in early 2005 and, as of July 2007, is still ongoing as the MSC Independent Objection Panel Chair received a number of objections from environmental groups and individuals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_grenadier

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