Fish
Flounder (Common flounder)
Pleuronectes platessa
(IV) North Sea, (Va) Icelandic Waters, (VIIh) Southern Celtic Sea, (VIIj) West of Ireland - East, (VIIk) Southwest of Ireland - West
Fishing zones
Wild
Origin
40 cm
Minimum size
Description
The flounder is a flatfish with both eyes located on the right side of its head (dextre). The upper (ocular) side is smooth and brown or greenish-brown, dotted with irregularly distributed bright orange or red spots. The underside is white. A bony ridge with 4 to 7 tubercles is located behind the eyes, extending to the lateral line. It averages 40 cm in length, but can grow up to 100 cm, with a maximum recorded weight of 7 kg. It feeds primarily on polychaete worms (sandworms), small thin-shelled mollusks, and crustaceans.
Habitat
Marine and brackish environments; demersal species (lives on the seabed). Lives mainly on sandy and muddy bottoms, but older individuals may be found on mixed bottoms. It is found from the intertidal zone down to a depth of about 200 meters, although it is most common between 10 and 50 meters. Prefers temperate waters between 2°C and 15°C.
Distribution
Its range is concentrated in the northeastern Atlantic: from the Barents Sea (northern Norway) to Portugal. This includes the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Irish Sea, and the English Channel.
Although occasionally reported in the Mediterranean, these reports are often considered misidentifications with the flounder (P. flesus). It is currently considered absent from that region. It is found along the Icelandic coast and occasionally south of Greenland.
Although occasionally reported in the Mediterranean, these reports are often considered misidentifications with the flounder (P. flesus). It is currently considered absent from that region. It is found along the Icelandic coast and occasionally south of Greenland.