Dark silver-grey body above shading to white below. The body is slender and round with a wide head, large eyes, and large mouth with teeth turned inwards. The second dorsal and anal fins are long and often damaged during trawl capture. The tail is square.

This species of hake of the Merlucciidae family (hakes) is restricted to New Zealand, but there are more than a dozen hake and whiting species that inhabit temperate and cold waters in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Most hakes are identified by their geographic origin. The New Zealand hake is found around the South Island, Chatham Rise and Campbell Plateau mainly between 200 and 800 metres depth.

Hake have a maximum age of at least 25 years and reach sexual maturity between six and ten years. The main spawning areas are the west coast of the South Island (June to October), the Campbell Plateau (September to February) and on the Chatham Rise (September to January).

Hake are caught mainly by trawling.