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Lemon sole (Bycatch)

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General

Flatfish

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.

Lemon sole (Bycatch)

Lemon sole is a flatfish in the family of righteye flounders. It has a small head and mouth and has a reddish brown colour with mahogany, orange, yellow or greenish hues. Its maximum size is 65 cm. Lemon sole is living on the stony bottoms of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean en is found from the Barents Sea and Iceland to the Bay of Biscay. Lemon sole is a relatively unknown species in the Netherlands, despite the fact that it is often caught in bottom fishing for flatfish such as sole and plaice. Lemon sole can be used as an commercially interesting and sustainable variant of the popular (smallest size / ‘sliptong’) sole.

Lemon sole (Bycatch)

Microstomus kitt

Origin

Atlantic Ocean, north-east (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Danish seine

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Minder tonen Toon beoordeling

Fish stocks and fishing pressure

Ecosystem effects

Fishery management

Final assessment

Explanation assessment

Lemon sole is a relatively unknown species, although it is often caught in the demersal fishery on flatfish like sole and plaice. There are no detailed stock estimates for lemon sole but the stock seems to be stable. The fishing pressure has decreased.

[Danish seine] is known as a [selective fishing method] with little bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). of undersizedUndersized fish:
Fish smaller than a prescribed minimum size. These sizes are determined per species and per country. For Europe, a minimum landing size applies to all EU Member States. fish. In the traditional trawling fishery there is more bycatch. Bycatch of other species are generally landed. There is incidental bycatch of rays or sharks. These species are vulnerable to overfishingOverfishing:
There is so much fish caught that the size of the stock has diminished so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. and are under pressure.

Lemon sole has a joint quota with witch flounder. The fishery falls under the Common Fisheries Policy of the EU.

Lemon sole (Bycatch)

Microstomus kitt

Origin

Iceland grounds (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Danish seine

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Minder tonen Toon beoordeling

Fish stocks and fishing pressure

Ecosystem effects

Fishery management

Final assessment

Explanation assessment

The Icelandic lemon sole stock is under pressure and probably overfished. There is no managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured. plan or quota for this species.

DanishDanish seines:
A fishing technique whereby one of the lines of the seine net/pit net is anchored. The ship expands the net with a moving motion and turns off when picking up the net. seine is known as a selectiveSelective fishing methods:
Selective fishing methods capture many target species, and little or no unwanted fish species and animals. fishing method with little bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). of undersizedUndersized fish:
Fish smaller than a prescribed minimum size. These sizes are determined per species and per country. For Europe, a minimum landing size applies to all EU Member States. fish. In the traditional trawling fishery there is more bycatch. Bycatch of other species are generally landed. Bycatch needs to be landed in Iceland. There is incidental bycatch of rays or sharks. These species are vulnerable to overfishingOverfishing:
There is so much fish caught that the size of the stock has diminished so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. and are under pressure.

The fishery management in the Icelandic waters is well done with among others a discard ban and closed areas.

Lemon sole (Bycatch)

Microstomus kitt

Origin

Iceland grounds (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Bottom otter trawl

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Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
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Dec

Minder tonen Toon beoordeling

Fish stocks and fishing pressure

Ecosystem effects

Fishery management

Final assessment

Explanation assessment

The Icelandic lemon sole stock is under pressure and probably overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. . There is no managementplan or quota for this species.

The fishery with [bottom otter trawls] has often much bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). . Bycatch needs to be landed in Iceland. Bottom otter trawls damage the seabed considerably, but less than the traditional [beam trawl]. The fuel usage for fishing is quite high.

The fishery management in the Icelandic waters is well done with among others a discard ban and closed areas.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

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

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.