More information

Witch

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
Welzijn
Informatie over vissoort
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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.

 

Witch

Witch, righteye flounder or torbay sole is a flatfish species that is not very well-known. It is not very popular for consumption and is mostly caught as by-catch in bottom fisheries such as beam trawls and demersal otter trawls. The species can reach a length of 60 cm and weigh up to 2,5 kg. Witch is a relatively thin fish with a small head and its eyes on the right side of the body. They are most common in the deeper parts (50-1000m) of the North Sea, Skagerrak and surrounding waters. The spawning seasons is from spring till autumn.

 

Witch

Glyptocephalus cynoglossus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, northeast (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Bottom trawls

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
of witch is not at a sustainableSustainable:
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising opportunities for future generations. This also allows future generations to benefit from the same needs.
level. The biomassBiomass:
Biomass is the mass (weight) of living organisms in an area or ecosystem at the time.
of this species is considered to be low and there is an increased risk that the reproductive capacity of this stock will be affected by high fishing mortalityFishing mortality:
The share of the fish stock that dies annually by fishing. This is the size to which fishing pressure is examined.  
.

BottomBottom trawls:
A fishing technique in which cone-shaped nets terminating in a codend are dragged through the water column or along the bottom.
trawls are likely to cause significant negative impacts on the ecosystem by interacting with benthic habitats and species. 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 other species, including endangered and protectedProtected species:
Many marine species are protected from deliberate or intentional disturbance, capture, injury and killing, and in some cases possession or sale. Species are often protected if they play an important role in the ecosystem or are sensitive to fishing. These marine species are protected regardless of whether they are inside or outside marine protected areas.
species, is likely and often documented.

Witch is regulated by basic management measuresManagement measures:
For fisheries, management measures can affect the amount of fish that can be caught, the type of gear that can be used and where fishing is and is not allowed.
and only have a marginal effect on this stockStock:
The fish of a particular species reproducing in the same area in the same period. 
. The managementManagement:
The regulations surrounding fisheries and aquaculture that ensure that production is carried out within legal frameworks and that sustainability can be assured.
of this species is not effective.

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.