How does the habitat of Pacific *Merluccius productus* fundamentally differ from Southern Kingfish in the Southeast?

Pacific *Merluccius productus* inhabits the cold, deep midwater column offshore, while Southern Kingfish occupies shallower, nearshore bottoms

The most fundamental distinction between the fish locally called 'whiting' on different coasts lies in their preferred ecological zones. The Pacific whiting is characterized as a semi-pelagic groundfish thriving in cold, deep offshore environments, suspended within the water column. Conversely, the species targeted on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, often the Southern Kingfish, inhabits much shallower environments, preferring the benthic or nearshore bottoms of sounds, inlets, and the surf zone. This habitat divergence mandates completely different techniques, gear, and location scouting strategies for successful angling.