Flatfish

General Information

North Sea

Baltic Sea

Clyde Marine Region

Adriatic Sea

Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Flatfish

Layer Info
Category	Ecology
Sub-category	Fish

Description

Flatfish is a group of fish characterized by their flattened bodies, which allows them to lie on the ocean floor. There are numerous species of flatfish found in oceans around the world. Flatfish are primarily bottom-dwelling fish and are commonly found in coastal and continental shelf areas. They have both eyes located on one side which allows them to rest on the ocean floor with their eyes facing upward. Flatfish are ambush predators, which means the lay still and wait for prey to pass by before striking.

Example species: Common Sole (Solea solea)

Habitat: Demersal
Main role: Predator
Trophic level: 4

IUCN Red List Assessment: Data Deficient

Diet: The common sole primarily feed on small fish and a variety of bottom-dwelling invertebrates, including crustaceans and worms. They are opportunistic predators, meaning they eat what is available in their environment.

Threats: The high commercial value of the Common Sole is its biggest threat. It makes it one of the most important species targeted by inshore fishing using trawls and fixed nets. The Common Sole is also both intentionally targeted and frequently caught as by-catch in offshore fishing operations.

The North Sea is a relatively large and dynamic body of water with a diverse range of habitats including sandy and muddy bottoms, which are ideal for flatfish species. In the North Sea Edition, the Flatfish prey mainly on Sandeel and Benthic Invertebrates. Flatfish is prey to Seals and other fish species like Cod, Demersal fish but also smaller Flatfish. They are opportunistic predators, meaning they eat what is available in their environment. Flatfish avoid Noise and Bottom Disturbance and are caught through Drift & Fixed Nets fishing and Bottom Trawl fishing.

The flatfish group in the North Sea Edition includes the following species: Witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus), Long-rough Dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides), Flounder (Platichthys flesus), Lemon Sole (Microstomus kitt), Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus), Megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis), Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), Common Sole (Solea solea), Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), Dab (Limanda limanda).

Types

• Very Low Density
• Low Density
• Medium Density
• High Density
• Very High Density

Metadata

Flatfish is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.

For detailed information on how the simulation works for the North Sea Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Baltic Sea Edition.

The Cylde Marine Region houses a dynamic ecosystem with varying levels of salinity and environmental features, including varying degrees of shelter and seabed composition. The Common Sole (Solea solea) is less common in the Clyde Marine Region, but other species like Flouder (Platichthys flesus), Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and Lemon Sole (Microstomus kitt) are often found here.

In the Clyde Marine Region Edition, the Flatfish mainly feeds on Benthic Invertebrates and in prey to Cod, Seals, Sharks and Rays and Skates. The Flatfish avoid Noise and Bottom Disturbance and are caught using Nephrons Catch fishing, Seine Catch fishing and Demersal Trawl Catch fishing.

Types

• Extremely Low
• Low
• Medium
• High
• Extra High

Metadata

Data Source

Flatfish is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.

For detailed information on how the simulation works for the Clyde Marine Region Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Adriatic Sea Edition.

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Eastern Mediterranean Sea Edition.