he coastal stock of Pacific hake is currently the most abundant groundfish population in the California Current system. There are more Hake caught than all other groundfish species combined.

Smaller populations of hake occur in the major inlets of the North Pacific Ocean, including the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and the Gulf of California. However, the coastal stock is distinguished from the inshore populations by larger body size, and seasonal migratory behavior. The population is modeled as a single stock, but the United States and Canadian fishing fleets are treated separately in order to capture some of the spatial variability in Pacific hake distribution.