PLAICE | The Plaice is the most important flatfish for fisheries in Europe. The Plaice has 65-79 dorsal fin rays and 48-59 anal fin rays. Lateral line scales is 88-115.

SIZE | The Plaice can grow to become around 110 cm, however it is seldom more than 35-40 cm.

DEPTH | The Plaice breeds on mixed bottoms. From a few meters to about 100 meters. The older the deeper the occurrence.

COLOUR | Brownish, greyish or olivaceous, uniform or variously blotched and mottled with darker marks; faint red spots on the eyed side.

FOOD | Mainly thin-shelled molluscs and polychaetes.

REPRODUCTION | Spawns when the temperature is about 6 degrees C.

WHERE TO CATCH IT | The Plaice breeds in western Mediterranean (occurrences in the eastern Mediterranean doubtful) and along European coasts to the White Sea, occasionally off Greenland. Big Plaices are caught aournd the Faroe Islands. See also map below for where the Plaice breeds.