Common Dab Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Right-eyed, small to medium-sized flatfish with an oval body
• Strongly curved lateral line arching sharply above the pectoral fin, more pronounced than in related species
• Rough, sandpapery scales that are easy to feel when the fish is handled
• Sandy to light brown upper side, sometimes with faint darker spots or blotches
• Small mouth and a relatively short snout
• Typically 20-30 cm, rarely larger

Common look-alikes

• European flounder – has bony tubercles along the fin bases and a much less curved lateral line.
• European plaice – smooth skin with bright orange spots, unlike the dab's rough, plain-colored scales.
• Dover sole – has a small underslung mouth and uniform mottling with no strong lateral line curve.

Where you'll see one

Common dab are widespread on sandy seabeds around Northeast Atlantic coasts, including the North Sea, Baltic, and Barents Sea. They typically stay in relatively shallow water, often less than 40 m deep, and are common on beaches and in coastal shallows.