flounder - Fishing and cooking, Flounder tramping, Threats, Flounder families

Common European flatfish (Platichthys flesus) found in shallow inshore waters from Norway to the Mediterranean, also penetrating into fresh water in N areas; upper body surface grey-brown with dark patches and orange spots, underside white; length up to 50 cm/20 in; locally important as a food fish. (Family: Pleuronectidae.)

The name "flounder" refers to several geographically and taxonomically distinct species. In Europe, the name flounder refers to Platichthys flesus, in the Western Atlantic there are summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma, winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus among other species, and in Japan the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is common.

After metamorphosis, flounder lie on one side on the ocean floor; Flounder are ambush predators and their feeding ground is the soft mud of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks, and other bottom incumbrances; Their diet consists mainly of fish spawn, crustaceans, polychaetes and small fish.

Fishing and cooking

Flounder fishing is best in spring and autumn. Flounder may be caught in summer, but the meat will be soft and unpleasant for eating. Flounder will bite at almost anything used for fish bait, including any kind of tackle. Flounder are an excellent pan fish, but they should be cooked as soon as possible after being caught

Flounder tramping

The Grande Internationale World Flounder tramping Championships take place at Palnackie, Scotland, usually in the last week of July or first week in August each year. Competitors brave the mud flats of the estuary of the Urr Water in sun or rain to try and catch the heaviest fish, or the largest catch, or even the smallest fish for prize money and a trophy.

Threats

World stocks of large predatory fish and large ground fish such as sole and flounder were estimated in 2003 to be only about 10% of pre-industrial levels, largely due to overfishing.

Flounder families

The fishes in the following families are called "flounders". "Save the big fish: Targeting of larger fish makes populations prone to collapse."