The silver hake or whiting, Merluccius bilinearis , is a swiftly swimming gadid that ranges from Newfoundland to South Carolina.
Silver hake are important fish predators that also feed on shrimp and squid.
Silver hake migrate in response to seasonal changes in water temperatures, moving towards shallow water in the spring, where spawning occurs during late spring and early summer, and returning to deeper waters in autumn. During summer, portions of both stocks can be found on Georges Bank. During winter, fish in the northern stock move to deep basins of the Gulf of Maine, while fish in the southern stock move to outer continental shelf and slope waters. Major spawning areas include the coastal region of the Gulf of Maine from Cape Cod to Grand Manan Island, southern and southeastern Georges Bank, and the southern New England area south of Martha's Vineyard. Silver hake grow to a maximum length of over 60 cm.