Merluccius merluccius, which is a cod fish, is found in Danish waters up to the Sound and the belts. The fish are most numerous in the North Sea and the northern Skagerrak and more rare in inland waters.
The Hake is an elongated fish with a black mouth and gill cavity, of which the Danish name “Kulmule”. It grows up to 135-140 cm in length and can weigh up to 15 kg.
The fish is usually silver gray with white belly and darker, spotted back. Both mouth and eyes are large. The fish has underbites and long, pointed teeth. The hake has both a short and a long dorsal fin as well as a long gat fin. The small hake also have whiskers.

The hake is a lean fish that is particularly rich in selenium. The meat of the hake may seem very loose, but collects during cooking. But its meat is very juicy and it is, compared to the meat of cod, harder to dry out cooking. The hake is especially a delicacy in Southern Europe, which consumes the majority of the hake landed in Denmark.