Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

red cod Pseudophycis bacchus, a fish of New Zealand waters, especially around the South Island, is not a true cod but a member of the family Eretmophoridae, bottom-living fish of moderately deep waters. Its alternative common name is hoka.

Maximum length close to 1 m (40"); average length half that or less. A grey-pink fish above, more white below, with pink fins. There is some commercial trawling for the red cod, but it is rated acceptable rather than good as a food fish.