Taxonomy
Osteichthyes, Pleuronectiformes, Pleuronectidae

Maximum size
91 cm TL; females attain a larger size than males.

Description
A flatfish with both eyes at the right side of the body. Often partly buried on sandy bottoms. Juveniles are found in shallow coastal waters and in estuaries, where they feed on small crustaceans and worms. As they grow older they gradually migrate into deeper waters where they mainly feed on worms, crustaceans and molluscs. Plaice mature at an age of two to three years. Spawning occurs over wide parts of the shallow southern North Sea and off eastern England. Eggs are pelagic and larvae use an active tidal transport mechanism to reach the inshore nurseries.

Description of stocks
From the western Mediterranean Sea, along the coast of Europe to the White Sea. Iceland and occasionally off Greenland.

Legal MLS
Minimum landing size in the North Sea is 27 cm.

Interest to fisheries
One of the two most important flatfish species in the North Sea. A large area along the continental coast has been closed for large beam trawlers (Plaice Box).

Status of stocks- see graph
Since the mid 1980s the spawning stock biomass has decreased to a low level, just above the limit reference point. Present fishing mortality is high and may not be sustainable.