Flake is a term used in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

to indicate the flesh of any of several

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

, particularly the gummy shark. The term probably arose in the late 1920s when the large-scale commercial shark fishery off the coast of Victoria 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

cartilaginous Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

. Those qualities, combined with ready supply and a low price, saw flake become by far the most common type of fish to be served in Australian

fish and chip Fish and chips is a hot dish consisting of battered and fried fish, served with chips. Often considered the national dish of the United Kingdom, fish and chips originated in England in the 19th century. Today, the dish is a common takeaway ...

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 The Australian blacktip shark (''Carcharhinus tilstoni'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family (biology), family Carcharhinidae, endemism, endemic to northern and eastern Australia. Favoring the upper and middle parts of the water column ...

, ''Carcharhinus tilstoni'' *

Sawshark A sawshark or saw shark is a member of a shark order (Pristiophoriformes ) bearing a unique long, saw-like rostrum (snout or bill) edged with sharp teeth, which they use to slash and disable their prey. There are eight species within the Pristi ...

(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 upright=1.2, Crystals of lead.html" ;"title="osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead">osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead Heavy metals is a controversial and ambiguous term for metallic elements with relatively h ...

, 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 Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

, nursehound is often sold as flake.

References

{{Australian cuisine Fish of Australia Australian cuisine