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Winter Flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)
a.k.a. Lemon Sole, Georges Bank Flounder, Blackback
Winter Flounder is one of several species of flatfish
found in and around Block Island waters. A popular
food fish, Winter Flounder stocks have experienced
population declines since the mid 1980s.
Winter Flounder:
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are
oval in shape with a relatively wide fan-shaped
tail. |
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range in size from 12 inches
(inshore stock) to 25 inches (offshore stock). |
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vary in color on their topsides
from a mottled light brown to muddy dark green,
often tinged with reddish or slate blotches.
On the underside they are white. |
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spend most of their time on
the ocean floor. |
Winter Flounder have startling adaptations
that make them particularly suited to life on the
ocean floor.
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They
can adjust the pigments in their skin so their
color changes to blend in with the environment,
whether it is a sandy, seaweed covered or
muddy bottom. |
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During the larval stage (between egg and fish), the left eye migrates to the right side (topside) of the fish, which makes this species a member of the right-eye flounder family. Winter Flounder eyes move independently so there is great advantage to having 2 eyes on the topside of a flatfish for seeing both prey and predator. |
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Winter Flounder have fairly
small mouths with few teeth on the eyed side,
whereas the jaws on the blind side of the
fish have many incisor-like teeth. |
Winter Flounder can be found along the Atlantic
coast from Labrador to North Carolina, and are generally
subdivided into three fishery stocks: Gulf of Maine,
Georges Banks, and New England/Mid-Atlantic. During
the summer months, Winter Flounder migrate to deeper
cooler water or bury themselves in the mud to keep
cool, and move inshore during the winter and spring
for spawning.
Winter Flounder have been an important economic
fish stock in the past. Unfortunately, all three
fishery stock populations are now considered overexploited.
In Rhode Island, commercial Winter Flounder fishing
is restricted in coastal areas and prohibited in
Narragansett Bay. In addition to commercial landings,
Winter Flounder populations are also impacted by
being part of the by-catch (unintended catch) of
other fisheries such as shrimp.
Current research in Canada has targeted Winter Flounder
and other flatfishes as good candidates for aquaculture.
To learn how to filet flounder, go
to:
To learn more about Winter Flounder, stroll
down the Old Harbor dock on Block Island and ask
a fisherman about their catch, or check out the
following resources which were used in preparing
this page:
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Connecting People and Nature