Atlantic halibut is the largest member of flatfish family, with its eyes on its greyish side and a white blind side. It can reach a maximum length of 3 meters and weigh up to 300 kg.
Juveniles are found along the coast of Norway in relatively shallow waters, whereas full-grown Atlantic halibut usually stay at depths of 300 to 2000 metres.
Atlantic halibut spawn at depths of 300 to 700 metres in deep hollows in the banks off the coast fjords. In addition to the coast of Norway,

Atlantic halibut is extremely vulnerable to overfishing – it is territorial, grows very slowly and matures late.
In addition to minimum size limits and net mesh restrictions, fishing for Atlantic halibut using nets, trawl nets, Danish seine nets and other fixed equipment is
prohibited between 20 December and 31 March.

After many years of research and development work, the Atlantic halibut has been established as a farmed species.
With greater access to farmed Atlantic halibut, fresh Atlantic halibut will be available all year.

Atlantic halibut Season: April to December.

Size: Up to 3 metres. Weight up to 300 kg.

Fishing methods: Long lines, gilnets, ground nets.

Use
Its tasty, firm, white meat makes the Atlantic halibut one of the most highly prized edible fishes. It is sold fresh or frozen whole fish or in slices, in fillets and smoked.
Atlantic halibut can be prepared in many ways, e.g. fried, poached and grilled, boiled or broiled and can be used in a variety of dishes.
It has delicate, white flesh and has an extremely good storage capacity as a chilled product and can be sold as fresh fish at least one week longer than other white fish.
.As “the queen of all fish”, is served at banquets and special occasions in Norway.

Nutritional content
Atlantic halibut usually contains 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 100 grams of fillet and is also a good source of vitamin D, and rich in selenium and protein.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the development of various cells in the body; and they have a beneficial effect on heart and/or circulatory diseases and immunological defences.
The fat content can vary with size and the part of the fish’s body where it is measured. Vitamin D is necessary in order for the body to be able to utilise calcium to develop
and maintain bones and teeth. Total fat content is approximately 10,4%.

Nutritional content table.


Commercial product:
Whole fish, slices, fillets, cured, smoked.

Fresh Atlantic halibut

Whole fish:
• Head-on gutted or N-cut
• Small ones are packed in polybox, large ones in pallettainer
• Size: 1-3 kg/3-6 kg/6-40 kg/+40 kg

Frozen Atlantic halibut

Whole fish:
• Head-on gutted or N-cut
• Frozen at sea, IQF (Individually Quick Frozen)
• Small ones are packed in bag or carton, large ones in pallettainer
• Size: -6 kg/6-30 kg/30-50 kg/+50 kg

Steaks:
• Packed in 3 or 5 kg carton

Greenland halibut / Flounder
Latin - Reinhardtius hippoglossoides
Norsk - Blåkveite
Deutsch - Schwarzer Heilbutt
Français - Flétan noir
Nederlands - Groenlandse (zwarte) heilbot
Italiano - Ippoglosso nero
Español - Filetán negro
Português - Alabote da Gronelândia




Greenland halibut is an Arctic fish that prefers cold waters and is not found in water warmer than 4°C.
It is similar to Atlantic hali but, it is darkish blue in colour and its blind side is a little lighter than its eyed side.It can reach a maximum size of 120 cm

The species reaches sexual maturity at a late age: the male at 4–5 years of age and the female at 9–10 years of age at the earliest.
Greenland halibut consumes fish, squid and crustaceans and is famous for its ability to migrate for long distances.
The growing grounds are primarily off the coast of Svalbard. As an adult, sexually mature fish, it lives along the edge of the continental shelf at depths of 600 to 1200 m,
but it can also live in more shallow water.
The spawning grounds for Greenland halibut extend along the edge of the continental shelf between Vesterålen and Spitsbergen.

Most of the fishing for Greenland halibut takes place along the edge of he continental shelf as far north as the island of Prins Karls Forland in the Svalbard archipelago.
Other catch areas are the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and in the Greenland waters. The greenland halibut from these areas has a higher water content than those from Norwegian waters.

The stock has remained at a low level during the last 15 years, but is slowly starting to pick up again. Commercial fishing is subject to strict regulations in an attempt to increase the Norwegian stock.

Season:
All year round – rarely sold fresh in the summer according to fishing restriction regulations.
Mainly season: April-June.

Size:
The male is rarely greater than 0.7 m and 4 kg; the female rarely greater than 1 m and 13 kg.

Fishing methods
Bottom trawling, longlining and gilnetting.

Use
Greenland halibut is an oily fish and is mostly sold to be smoked and sliced. It can be fried, boiled or broiled and is used in a variety of dishes.
Smoked Greenland halibut is best suited for poaching or dishes baked in the oven.In Norway it is usually served with a light sauce and boiled vegetables.

Nutritional content
The contents of fat and also omega-3 fatty acids varies according to season and diet, but is always plenty. This halibut is in addition a great source of vitamin D.
The body needs vitamin D in order to make use of calcium. Calcium is the most important component of the bones and teeth.

Nutritional content table.


Commercial product:
Fresh and frozen, smoked, whole and sliced.

Fresh Greenland halibut

Whole fish:
• Gutted, J-cut or N-cut
• Packed in 20 kg polybox
• Size: 0-1 kg/1-2 kg/2-3 kg/3-5 kg/+5 kg

Frozen Greenland halibut

Whole fish:
• Head on or headed and gutted, N-cut, J-cut
• Frozen at sea or landfrozen, vertically, horizontally or frozen in air blast tunnel
• Landfrozen halibut is packed in carton, whereas the seafrozen is packed in carton or bag
• Size: -0,5 kg/0,5-1 kg/-1 kg/1-2 kg/2-3 kg/3-5 kg/+5 kg
Heads:
• Frozen at sea or landfrozen, vertically, horizontally or frozen in air blast tunnel
• Landfrozen heads are packed in carton, whereas the seafrozen are packed in carton or bag
• Size: -300 gr/300-500 gr/+500 gr/mix

Plaice
Latin - Pleuronectes platessa
Norsk - Rødspette
Deutsch - Scholle / Goldbutt
Français - Plie / Carrelet
Nederlands - Schol
Italiano - Passera di mare / Platessa
Español - Solla
Português - Solha / Patruza

       

Plaice is a flatfish that has its eyes on the right side, and smooth grey or brown skin with numerous characteristic red spots.
Plaice is regarded as a territorial species, is common in the North Sea from the intertidal zone down to depths of 250 metres.
The spawning grounds for North Sea plaice are mainly south of Dogger Bank, but certain stocks migrate over huge distances.
In Norway the plaice is available along the entire coastline.

Season: July to December.

By catch - all year round.

Size: 25 to 40 cm.

Fishing methods
Bottom trawling, beam trawling, Danish seines, ground nets, and gilnetting.

Use
Sold fresh or frozen as whole fish and fillets. Plaice can be fried, boil or broil, poached and grilled. It can also be breaded,
deep-fried and served as the well-known dish fish and chips.

Nutritional content
Plaice is rich in B12 and the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. The fat content, and accordingly the amount of omega-3 fatty acids varies, with an indication of about 1,4%

Nutritional content table.


Commercial product:
Fresh or frozen as whole fish, slices and fillets.

Fresh plaice

Whole fish:
• Head-on gutted
• Packed in 10 kg polybox
• Size: -650 gr/+650 gr

The fish/fishery
Turbot is a member of the Scophthalmidae family of flatfish and is almost completely circular. Turbot has both its eyes on its left side and has large, bony knots on its dark eyed side.
It lives in the intertidal zone and down to depths of approx. 80 metres.
Turbot is often found partially buried in the seabed in sand, gravel, rocks and sediment. It is an active predator, and adult turbot live almost exclusively off other fish.
In Norway, production is low because turbot requires relatively warm water.

Season: All year round.as by catch

Size: Up to 1 metre.

Fishing methods
Danish seines, bottom-trawling, ground nets.

Use
Sold fresh in slices, fillets or as whole fish. Turbot flesh is white, firm, delicate and in great demand. Turbot can be fried, poached and grilled,
and the meat is at its best from September to April.

Nutritional content
Turbot contains about 1 gramme of omega-3 fatty acids per 100 grammes of fillet.
Turbot is rich in B12 and the fat-soluble vitamins A and D.

Nutritional content table.

Commercial product:
Fresh Whole fish.
:
• Head-on gutted
• Packed in 10 kg polybox
• Size: 1-2 kg/2-3 kg/3-4 kg.

Lives most often on stony bottoms. Feeds on a variety of small invertebrates, but polychaetes seem to dominate. Apparently they do not feed in wintertime.

Size: up to 65 cm in length and about 3 kg in weight.

Use
Lemon sole is a very popular food fish.
Marketed fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, microwave and bake

Nutritional content
Lemon sole is rich in B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and the fat-soluble vitamins A and D.

Commercial product:
Fresh Whole fish.
:
• Head-on gutted
• Packed in 10 kg polybox
• Size: -600 gr/+600 gr.

The small eyes are close to each other on the right-hand side of the body. This gives the fish the possibility of lurking half-buried in the sand for passing prey,
and feed on worms, mollusks and small crustaceans at night.
The common sole, just like all other flatfish, is born as an "ordinary" fish with one eye on each side of the body. The young metamorphose to flatfish when they are about one cm long.

The common sole is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, from the south of Norway, living solitary at a temperature range of 8-24.°C, at depth range 0 – 150 m.
The common sole has a preference for relatively shallow water with sand or mud covering the bottom. In the winter it withdraws to warmer and deeper waters of the Southern North Sea.
The common sole frequently found pelagic ally during spawning migrations

Fishing methods
Danish seines, bottom-trawling, ground nets.

Use
Chefs prize Dover sole for its mild, buttery sweet flavor and versatility and for its ease of filleting.
The fish yields fillets that hold together well in a variety of recipes.
Marketed fresh and frozen, utilized steamed, fried, broiled, microwave and baked.

Nutritional content
Common sole is rich in B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and the fat-soluble vitamins A and D.

Commercial product:
Fresh Whole fish.
:
• Head-on gutted
• Packed in 10 kg polybox
• Size: -650 gr/+650 gr.