The fish known as whiting is a popular seafood item globally, but the name does not refer to a single species. Instead, “whiting” is a marketing term applied to numerous distinct fish species that share a similar appearance and mild, white flesh. This common nomenclature creates confusion for consumers trying to determine the fish’s origin. To understand where whiting comes from, one must first identify the specific fish being referenced, as their native habitats span multiple oceans and continents.
The Ambiguous Identity of “Whiting”
The confusion surrounding the name whiting stems from its application to species belonging to at least three major, unrelated fish families. Historically, the name belonged to the European whiting, which is classified within the Gadidae family, the same group that includes true cod and haddock. This original usage established a standard for fish with a sleek body and delicate texture. The name was later adopted for entirely different species in other parts of the world, based purely on their commercial desirability and physical resemblance.
In the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, the name is often used for species in the drum or croaker family, Sciaenidae, which are scientifically known as Kingfish. On the opposite side of the world, in the Indo-Pacific, the name is applied to a family of fish known as smelt-whitings (Sillaginidae). Furthermore, on the Pacific coast of North America, “whiting” is commonly used as an alternative for a fish from the hake family, Merlucciidae. Establishing the true identity of the fish is the first step in pinpointing its native geographic source.
Geographic Origins of North Atlantic Whiting
The fish originally known as whiting, Merlangius merlangus, is a member of the Gadidae family and is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Its distribution extends from the southeastern Barents Sea and Iceland south to the coast of Portugal. This species is also found across the North Sea, the western Baltic Sea, and throughout the Mediterranean Sea, including the Aegean, Adriatic, and Black Seas.
These fish are classified as demersal, meaning they live and feed near the seabed, typically favoring coastal and shelf waters. They thrive over a variety of seafloor compositions, including sandy, muddy, and gravelly substrates, usually at depths ranging from 30 to 200 meters. Commercial fishing for this European variety is concentrated in the North Sea and around the British Isles.
Geographic Origins of Southern and Pacific “Whiting” Species
The diverse group of fish marketed as whiting in the Southern Hemisphere and Pacific regions originates from three distinct geographic areas.
Western Atlantic Kingfish
Along the Western Atlantic coast of the United States, several species of Kingfish (Sciaenidae family) are sold as whiting, particularly the Southern Kingcroaker (Menticirrhus americanus) and the Northern Kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis). The Southern Kingcroaker’s range is broad, extending from Massachusetts and New York through the Gulf of Mexico and south to northern Argentina. These fish are typically found in the shallow coastal waters, often inhabiting the surf zone along sandy beaches and estuaries where the juveniles thrive in lower salinity environments.
Indo-Pacific Smelt-Whitings
In the Indo-Pacific, the local whiting species belong to the Sillaginidae family, or smelt-whitings, a group highly prized in Australia, India, and Southeast Asia. Their coastal distribution spans the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean, with the highest species diversity found along the coasts of Australia, China, and the Indonesian Archipelago. These species, such as the King George whiting, are closely tied to inshore habitats, preferring the sandy or muddy bottoms of bays, estuaries, and tidal flats.
Pacific Hake
The name whiting is also widely applied to the Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus, a fish from the Merlucciidae family that dominates the seafood market along the West Coast of North America. This species inhabits the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Its migratory coastal stock ranges from the Gulf of Alaska in the north down to the Gulf of California and Baja California in the south. These fish are semi-pelagic, forming large schools that migrate vertically, and are typically found offshore along the continental shelf and slope in waters that can be as deep as 1,000 meters.