European Plaice Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Right-eyed flatfish with a smooth-skinned, oval body
• Distinctive bright orange to red spots scattered across a dark olive-brown to greyish upper side
• Row of small bony knobs (not sharp spines) running along the head between the eyes
• Clean white underside with no spotting
• Moderately curved lateral line above the pectoral fin
• Typically 25-50 cm, occasionally larger

Common look-alikes

• European flounder – lacks the bright orange spots and instead has bony tubercles along its fin bases.
• Common dab – sandy or brownish coloring without orange spots, and a more strongly curved lateral line.
• Dover sole – small underslung mouth and uniform brown mottling, never showing orange spots.

Where you'll see one

European plaice live on sandy and muddy seabeds across the Northeast Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic, and Mediterranean, from shallow inshore waters out to around 200 m depth. Juveniles often use shallow, sandy coastal nurseries before gradually moving into slightly deeper offshore water as they grow into adults.