Common Sole
North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat (FAO 27)
Scottish seining/flyshoot, Beam trawl, Demersal longlines
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Flatfish belong to the order Pleuronectoformes. There are more than 500 species of flatfish. Flatfish live on and partly in the seabed, only the halibut swims higher up in the water column. Flatfish have an oblong, flat shape and their eyes on one side. The upper-side, the eye-side, of the flatfish has a camouflage colour and the underside is white. It may seem like flatfish swim on their belly, however, in fact, they are laying on their side. Flatfish larvae have a regular fish shape, with eyes on each side and a vertical swimming mode. After 6 weeks, one of the eyes migrates upwards, over the head to the other side. From now own, the flatfish swims with their eyes up and their blind side facing the seabed.
The best known flatfish species in the Netherlands are sole and plaice. Other flatfish species that occur in the North Sea are the common dab, halibut, turbot, brill, European flounder and lemon sole. Flatfish are caught with beam trawls, pulse trawls or demersal otter trawls.
Common sole is one of the most important species for Dutch fishermen. It is a relativily long and narrow flatfish, with eyes on the right side. They reach spawning maturity at 3-5 years at a length of 25-35 cm. The smallest size of sole that is commercially traded is in dutch called a ‘sliptong’. This size class has not reached the spawning age. The largest size is called ‘zeetong’. Soles can reach up to 70 cm and weigh up to 3 kg. The maximum age is around 26 years, but those are not found anymore in the North Sea. Spawning season is from april till june in the southern Northsea. It has a preference for relatively shallow water with sand or mud covering the bottom.
North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat (FAO 27)
Scottish seining/flyshoot, Beam trawl, Demersal longlines
Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)
Anchored gillnets
Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)
Electric pulse fishing
Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)
Deelgebieden: Skagerrak and Kattegat
Beam trawl
Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.
Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.
This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.
This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.
Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.
There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.
GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.
Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.