Whiting is a common cold-water fish and is a member of the family Gadidae. Its body is entirely covered with small scales. The whiting resembles the hake but has a smaller mouth; it has three sets of dorsal fins and is brownish in those areas, while the underside and flanks tend to be much lighter, verging on silver, together with several black patches on the belly. It reproduces throughout the year, except in the coldest months; in the remaining months the females lay a vast number of eggs covered with a special membrane the enables them to float on the surface. The eggs hatch after about 15 days and in the first months of their life, the fry seek protection among the tendrils of a jellyfish since they are immune to their poison. Whiting is fished throughout the year with trawl nets and longlines.