Plaice

• American plaice are abundant off the shores of New England and Canada, and are very common on both sides of the Atlantic. They can grow to a maximum length of 2 feet and have an almost perfectly straight lateral stripe, a large mouth, a rounded tail, and white-tipped fins. Covered with small rough scales, the skin is grayish, reddish, or brown on the right-hand or exposed side, on which both eyes are located.
• Common plaice rarely measure more than 16" but can grow to be 3 feet long. The most abundant flatfish in European coastal waters, they have brownish skin with large orangey or red blotches on their exposed side and pearly white skin on the underside.
   
  
• Winter flounder are usually about 18" long but can grow to a maximum length of almost 2 feet. They are particularly abundant in New England and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada, but their natural habitat extends all the way from Labrador to Georgia. Usually brownish red, their skin color varies depending on where they are found, and the lateral stripe that runs down the middle of their backs is almost perfectly straight. The winter flounder is fleshier than any other member of the plaice family.
• Witch flounder usually measure between 12–18" but can be more than 30" long. Found on both sides of the Atlantic, they are similar to the winter flounder but are brownish gray and have more rays on their dorsal and anal fins.
• Common dab are usually between 8–10" long but can grow to a maximum length of 18". Found off the Atlantic coasts of Europe, they are particularly common in French coastal waters. Their black dorsal skin is often covered with reddish brown spots, and their flesh is less flavorful than that of the common plaice.
• Yellowtail flounder usually measure between 10–6" but can be more than 2 feet long. They have almost perfectly oval, thin bodies and small mouths. Their exposed side is olive green or reddish brown with large reddish brown blotches, and the lateral stripe is curved. Named for their yellow tails, these flounder are commonly found in the Atlantic from Labrador to southern New England.
• Lemon sole can grow to be more than 2 feet long, but their heads and mouths are relatively small. The lemon sole’s exposed side is usually brown and covered with numerous irregularly shaped spots of various sizes and colors. Found in Atlantic coastal waters from France to Iceland, it is particularly abundant off the coast of France. Its flesh is bland and stringy.
• Flounder are rarely more than 12" long but can grow to a maximum length of 20". Brownish, grayish brown, or greenish, the skin on their exposed side is dotted with blotches that are paler and less orange than those found on the skin of the common plaice. The lateral stripe that adorns the flounder’s back curves slightly near the pectoral fin, and its blind side is usually white. Particularly abundant in the Baltic Sea, the flounder is also fished in the Mediterranean. Its flesh is slightly less flavorful than that of the common plaice.
• Summer flounder can grow to be 3 feet long. The largest species of plaice, it has a big mouth, pointed teeth, and small, closely set eyes. Its exposed side is covered with 10–14 dark spots and is usually brown or gray, but it can also be blackish or green. The summer flounder is abundant in American coastal waters from Maine to South Carolina.

Nutritional Information: Plaice

How to Buy Plaice

How to Prepare Plaice

How to Cook Plaice