Flake (fish)

Flake is a term used in

was established. Until that time, shark was generally an incidental catch rather than a targeted species.

Flake rapidly became popular. It has a mild flavour, a soft texture that nevertheless remains well-defined after cooking, and a clean white appearance. A special advantage is that flake has no bones, because sharks are

shops. Flake remains popular, but it is no longer especially cheap.

Although the primary shark species sold as flake is the gummy shark, several others are listed below.

• Gummy shark, Mustelus antarcticus
• School shark, Galeorhinus galeus
• Elephant fish
  , Callorhinchus milii
• Whiskery shark, Furgaleus macki
• Australian blacktip shark, Carcharhinus tilstoni
• Sawshark (any of several Pristiophorus species)
• Various
  dog sharks
  (family Squalidae)
• Wobbegong (family Orectolobidae)

During the late 1960s, it became apparent that larger individuals of several shark species were contaminated with high levels of heavy metals, particularly mercury, and a public outcry eventually led to a ban on the sale of large school sharks in 1972, which remained in effect until 1985.

In Britain, nursehound is often sold as flake.

References