Overview
Common flatfish of temperate European waters, lives on sandy bottoms.
Identification
Eyes located on one side of the bodyOrange spots on the dorsal sideBony ridges along the lateral sideConcave head profileLong and straight anal finSmall and asymmetrical mouthRounded pectoral finsRough skin
- Body
- Flat and oval body, very thin and adapted for life on sandy bottoms.
- Colouration
- Brownish back with orange spots, white belly.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Absent/not noticeable
- Growth
- Medium, growing steadily during the first years of life.
Taxonomy
- Family
- Pleuronectidae
- Order
- Pleuronectiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
Related species
Pleuronectes americanusLimanda limandaMicrostomus kittHippoglossoides platessoidesGlyptocephalus cynoglossus
Habitat & distribution
- Environment
- coast, open_sea, estuaries
- Preferred bottom
- sand, gravel, mud
- Geographic distribution
- Primarily found in the northeastern Atlantic, from the Barents Sea to northern Spain, including the North Sea and the Irish Sea.
- Micro-habitat
- Partially buries itself in the sand during the day to avoid predators.
Prefers sandy bottoms where it can easily blend in to avoid predators.
Presence by sea area
Eu Atlantico NePeak
Eu Golfo BiscagliaPeak
Eu Mare NordPeak
Eu BalticoPeak
Eu ManicaPeak
Diet
- Primary prey
- crustaceans, gastropods, polychaetes
- Secondary prey
- annelids, echinoderms, small fish
- Occasional prey
- plankton, benthic algae
- Feeding behaviour
- Feeds primarily at night, actively searching for food on the seabed thanks to its developed eyesight.
- Natural predators
- Atlantic cod, grey seals, seabirds
Relies on excellent eyesight and flat body to hunt unsuspecting prey on the seabed.
Behaviour
- Activity
- nocturnal
- Social behaviour
- solitary
- Aggressiveness
- low
- Migration
- Non-migratory, with limited movements mainly related to food search.
- Seasonal behaviour
- Mostly active in warmer months, moving to shallower waters to feed and spawn.
- Juveniles
- Young plaice stay in coastal sands, growing in shallow waters until maturity.
- Adults
- Adults move to deeper waters, staying on the seabed for feeding and reproduction.
Reproduction
- Spawning season
- January, February, March, April
- Spawning depth
- between 20 and 60 meters
- Eggs
- Pelagic, transparent eggs, approximately 2 mm in diameter.
- Larval stage
- Larvae are carried by currents until they reach coastal waters where they develop.
- Sexual maturity
- 4-6 years
When to catch European plaice
Activity calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
PeakGoodLowInactive
Activity by season
Best times
Dayalba, mattina
Nightnotte
This species shows peak fishing activity in spring, autumn and winter, when the productivity index (FPI) reaches its highest values.
Ideal conditions
Atmospheric pressure
Low
More active, moves on sand.
Medium
Regular activity.
High
Buried in sand.
Barometric trend
Water temperature
10°COptimal zone: 14-24°C27°C
Preferred tide: moving
Where to catch it
Best spots
Sandy bottomsEstuary areasShallow coastal watersNorth Sea
Bottom preference
Spot type
Fishing techniques
Recommended
TrawlingDip netLonglineHandline
Other applicable
Pesca A FondoBeach FishingBeach LedgeringBolentinoBolentino LeggeroBolentino MedioDriftingPesca A Fondo LeggeraSurfcastingSurfcasting Leggero
Recommended baits
Sea wormsShrimpMinnowsSquid strips
Baits by pressure
Low
ArenicolaBibiGambero morto / Gambero
Medium
Gambero morto / GamberoStriscia di calamaro
High
ArenicolaBibiVerme americanoVerme coreanoBeach wormBigattinoCannolicchio
Catch & handling tips
- Fight
- Generally offers little resistance, staying on the bottom simulating a rock.
- Handling
- Be cautious of dorsal bones, handle gently to prevent skin damage.
- Release
- Release quickly into the water, avoiding prolonged air exposure.
Curiosities & culture
- Record catches
- The all-tackle world record for the European plaice is 4.12 kg, caught in the North Sea in 1982. Large specimens can reach 90 cm and over 3 kg.
- In the kitchen
- Used in traditional dishes such as British 'Fish and Chips' and Mediterranean fry-ups.
- Cultural notes
- Often cited in literature for its delicate taste, considered a symbol of abundance in European markets.
- Historical notes
- Plaice fishing has been a traditional activity along the North Sea coasts since the Middle Ages.
