Turbot

Where it lives

Turbot inhabit sandy, shelly, and gravelly bottoms across the northeast Atlantic, the North Sea, the Baltic, and the Mediterranean, generally from 20 to 100 m. They favor moderate to strong tidal currents that concentrate forage fish.

How to recognise it

A roughly diamond-shaped, scaleless left-eyed flatfish. The eyed (left) side bears many bony tubercles rather than scales and is mottled gray-brown to match sand and gravel. The blind (right) side is pale and smooth. The dorsal and anal fins almost meet around the body margin.

Diet & behavior

Active ambush predators that lie buried in the substrate and explode upward to engulf passing sand eels, gobies, herring, and crustaceans. Unlike many flatfish, turbot are largely piscivorous. Spawning is in spring and early summer.

Fisheries & Conservation

Globally Least Concern. Aquaculture in Spain, Portugal, France, and China supplies an increasing share of the market; wild turbot remains a premium menu fish.