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Witch

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
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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

Iceland grounds (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Danish seine, Bottom otter trawl

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

The stock of witch is well monitored and not overfished in Icelandic waters.

[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. 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. Both Danish seine and bottom traws can damage vulnerable bottom habitats, but the bottom trawl does more damage.

The fishery in Icelandic waters is well managed by among others closed areas and a discard ban.

 

Witch

Glyptocephalus cynoglossus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, north-east (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Danish seine

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

There is little known about the composition and size of the witch stock in the North Sea.

[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. It is not researched how much the influence this fishery has on the pressure.

The management of this fishery is done at EU-level. Quotas are joint for witch and lemon sole.

 

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.