Hake are widely distributed throughout the middle depths of the New Zealand EEZ, mostly south of 40°S. Adult hake are mainly distributed from 250–800 m depth, but some have been found as deep as 1200 m, while juveniles are found in inshore regions shallower than 250 m.

Hake is a relatively high value fishery; in 2007 export revenues totalled approximately $43 million. The primary export markets for ling are Spain and Japan.

The largest fishery has been off the west coast of the South Island (HAK 7). This fishery has traditionally consisted of bycatch in the much larger hoki fishery but in recent years it has also become an important target fishery; in the last five year about 77% of HAK taken was targeted.

The Chatham Rise hake fishery (HAK 4) has also changed from a by-catch of the hoki fishery to a target fishery; about 75% of hake has been caught as a target species in the last five years. Over the last five years about 57% of hake caught in HAK 1 has also been as a target fishery and most of the catch has come from the Sub-Antarctic.