Why Is Hake So Expensive Right Now? (And What to Buy Instead)

One question has come through our customer service line more than any other lately: why has hake got so expensive? It is a fair question, and it deserves a proper answer. Tommy, our fishmonger on the Brixham quayside, explains what is going on with hake prices, when they should ease, and which British fish will do the same job on a midweek plate for less.

The short answer

Hake is expensive right now for two reasons that have landed at the same time. First, cod has become scarcer and pricier, so restaurants and fishmongers across the South West and beyond have switched to hake, and demand has climbed with them. Second, late summer is the leanest time of year for hake landings, so there is less of it on the market floor just when everyone wants it. Prices normally start to normalise from autumn into winter. They are unlikely to return to where they were a few years ago, but we expect to see hake back under £7 a portion fairly regularly through the colder months.

Reason one: cod has pushed everyone towards hake

Most of the cod sold in Britain comes from the Barents Sea and Iceland, and the pressure on those stocks keeps growing. The Barents Sea cod quota for 2026 was cut by 16% to 285,000 tonnes, the lowest level since 1991. More and more businesses are choosing not to sell cod at all, and those that still want a local, sustainable white fish have looked closer to home.

That is where hake comes in. The Cornish hake gillnet fishery, working out of Newlyn, was the first UK gillnet fishery to earn MSC certification, and it has become one of the great sustainability success stories of our coast. You can read the full story in our piece on MSC hake and why it matters. The upshot is that hake has quietly taken cod's place on menus and fish counters across the South West, and that popularity is now spreading across the UK. When a fish goes from being a local secret to a national favourite, the price follows.

Tommy has also noticed fewer cod coming across the Brixham market floor as the waters around us warm, which only adds to the demand for a local alternative. Haddock is still available, of course, but most of what is sold in Britain is landed a long way from here, largely in Iceland, so if you want a white fish that is both local and sustainable, hake has been the obvious choice.

Reason two: late summer is hake's lean season

Time of year matters more than most people realise. Through the spring, many of the boats that would otherwise be targeting hake start fishing for monkfish, turbot and other species instead, so less hake is landed through the summer. It is basic supply and demand: when there is less of it, the price goes up. June, July and August are always the months when hake gets really expensive, and in 2026 the spike has been more pronounced than ever.

There is a shorter cycle at work too. Roughly every five weeks the spring tides are too big for the netters to fish for hake, so for a few days there is very little landed at all. Buyers know it is coming and stock up in the weeks either side, which adds another layer of pressure to the price on top of the seasonal squeeze. It is one reason hake can jump from one week to the next even when nothing else has changed.

As we move through September, October and November and into the new year, landings pick up again and prices should start to settle. If you are watching the market, winter is your moment to buy fresh hake fillet and, if you like, fill the freezer.

Reason three: our prices move with the market

This is what makes Rockfish a little different, and it is worth understanding if you shop with us. Our fresh fish prices on the Online Seafood Market are not fixed. They move up and down with what our buyers pay on the Brixham auction each morning. When hake is scarce and everyone is bidding for it, you will see that reflected on our site. When the market softens, you get the saving straight away rather than us pocketing the difference.

The flip side is that it pays to keep an eye on things. Join the Seafood Club and we will let you know when the good landings come in, and check Today's Best Value for whatever the market is favouring that day. When the bargains are there to be had, we make sure you can enjoy them.

When will hake prices come down?

Hake landings in the South West are lowest in high summer and strongest through autumn and winter, so the best-value months for hake in the UK are generally September through to February. We expect prices to ease steadily from now on. What we do not expect is a return to the prices of a few years ago. Hake has permanently stepped up a level in popularity, and the fishery is carefully managed to keep the stock healthy, which means supply is not going to balloon to meet demand. The sensible approach is to buy hake when the market is kind, and to have a few good alternatives up your sleeve for the weeks when it is not.

The best alternatives to hake: Tommy's picks

We know hake well. It has juicy white flakes and carries flavour incredibly well, which is exactly why it replaced cod on so many menus. But it is not the only fish that can do that for you. These are four British species, all landed here in Brixham, that Tommy would reach for as a midweek white fish when hake has gone through the roof. All prices below are typical ranges from the past year; today's prices are on each product page and move with the market.

Coley

Coley is a member of the pollock family and one of Tommy's favourite fish. It is a big, cold, deep-water fish, and the ones we had on the counter this week were netted by a local Brixham boat. Because coley grow well above two kilos you get lovely big steaks, and they behave very like hake in the pan: fry skin side down, finish in the oven, and you have big juicy flakes with a clean white flavour. Coley is a touch firmer and a little deeper in flavour than hake, so slightly less "cod-like", but it is a brilliant carrier of whatever you cook it with.

Coley typically retails with us between £3.75 and £4.95 a portion and rarely strays far outside that, so it is the most stable price of the lot and a proper under-a-fiver dinner. Shop fresh coley fillet or frozen coley fillet, read why we think coley and chips deserves a place on the menu, or try coley poached in olive oil with garlic.

Ling

Ling is Tommy's favourite white fish, full stop, and he will happily tell you he prefers it to cod. It is from the same family as cod and we skin it because the skin is thick and rubbery, but underneath is firm, beautifully textured flesh with large creamy flakes. Ling carries flavour unbelievably well for a white fish. It holds up over fire better than almost any other white fish, and pan-fried then finished in the oven with a dollop of garlic butter it is very hard to beat.

Ling typically sits between £4.95 and £6.95 a portion, so a little less stable than coley, but still a great-value midweek option when hake is high. Shop fresh ling fillet or frozen ling fillet, find out why ling is so good over the barbecue, or make a pot roast ling with leeks and bacon.

Lemon sole

Lemon sole is a different proposition, and that is part of its appeal. It is a flat fish, so a pack of fillets gives you the top side and the bottom side rather than a thick steak. That makes it quicker and, frankly, easier to cook: flash the fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for about a minute a side and you are done. It is not quite as unctuous as a hake steak, but it is clean, sweet and readily available on the Brixham market all year, and you may not have considered it for a simple midweek supper.

Lemon sole fillets typically retail between £3.95 and £5.95, another nice stable price you can rely on. Shop lemon sole fillets, whole lemon sole or frozen whole lemon sole, and try our lemon sole baked with butter, lemon and parsley.

Gurnard

Gurnard is the interesting one. Like hake, its price can be volatile, but in the opposite direction at the right time of year. It gets scarce in the summer, then as the water cools from November through to February landings build up and prices can drop very low. Keep your eyes on the market around Christmas and into the new year and gurnard becomes one of the best-value fish we sell, which is why it is one of the most popular fish on the Online Seafood Market when the price comes down. It is worth filling the freezer.

Gurnard has really firm, meaty flesh with big flakes and a skin that crisps up beautifully. It pan-fries well, holds up over fire, is perfect in the oven, stands up to a curry, and flaked into a salad it is the ideal bit of protein on the side. Because of the market swings, gurnard can retail anywhere between £3.95 and £11.95 depending on the time of year. Shop fresh gurnard fillet or frozen gurnard fillet, browse our gurnard recipes, or start with the simplest and best: gurnard fillet cooked in butter with lemon and parsley.

Hake alternatives at a glance

Prices are typical retail ranges on the Rockfish Online Seafood Market over the past year. Today's prices are on each product page and move with the Brixham market.

Is hake still worth buying?

Absolutely. Hake is a fantastic fish, it comes from one of the best-managed fisheries in the country, and when the price is right there is nothing quite like it. The trick is to buy it when the market is on your side. Our frozen hake fillet is a good way to lock in a fair price, and if you are after inspiration our hake recipes cover everything from a Basque-style hake with romesco to a proper hake Kiev. And on the weeks when hake is dear, you now have four brilliant British fish to reach for instead. This is the best of British: lesser-known, great-value species, landed in Brixham, that take the pressure off hake as well.

Frequently asked questions

Is hake an expensive fish?

Hake used to be one of the cheaper white fish in the UK, but its price has risen as demand has grown and cod has become harder to source. It is now priced closer to cod than to coley or pollock, and it is at its most expensive in June, July and August when landings are lowest.

When is hake in season in the UK?

Hake is landed in the South West all year round, but it is most plentiful and best value from autumn through winter, roughly September to February. Through spring and summer many boats target other species such as monkfish and turbot, so hake becomes scarcer and pricier.

Is hake more sustainable than cod?

Cornish hake is caught by an MSC-certified gillnet fishery off Newlyn and the stock has recovered strongly, so it is widely regarded as one of the more sustainable white fish choices available in the UK. Cod stocks in the Barents Sea, where most British cod comes from, are under pressure and quotas have been cut sharply for 2026. You can read more in our article on MSC hake.

What fish is similar to hake?

Coley and ling are the closest swaps for hake: both are white, flaky, sustainable British fish that cook in much the same way, with coley the firmest and cheapest and ling the closest to cod in flavour. Lemon sole works as a quick, delicate alternative, and gurnard is a firm, meaty option that is exceptional value in winter.

Why do Rockfish fish prices change?

Because we buy fresh fish on the Brixham market every morning and pass the market price straight on to you. When a species is scarce, the price rises; when landings are good, you get the saving the same day. Join the Seafood Club to hear when the bargains come in.

Ready to cook? Browse Today's Best Value, see the full range of British white fish on the Online Seafood Market, or stock the freezer from our frozen fish range. Everything is hand-selected on the Brixham quayside and delivered to your door.