Long rough dab

Hippoglossoides platessoides

The long rough dab is one of the most widely distributed and possibly the most plentiful of Icelandic flatfish.

Distribution

The long rough dab is usually found on muddy or sandy bottoms but also on other bottom types.

It is abundant on both sides of the northern North Atlantic, from the Barents Sea to the English Channel in the east and from Greenland to Cape Cod in the west

The long rough dab is one of the most widely distributed and possibly the most plentiful of Icelandic flatfish. It is abundant all-around Iceland at a wide depth range, or from 10 to 400 meters.

Ecology

Half of the males reach sexual maturity by age 3, but females at age of 4 or 5.

It has a broad feeding range and when small, eats various benthic invertebrates. However, as it grows other fish species such as capelin become an important source of food.

Fisheries

The long rough dab does not really have any history of landings in Icelandic waters until after 1986. Only a few tonnes were reported earlier this century by Belgian and German trawlers.

Because of its wide distribution but very low value, the long rough dab was almost certainly discarded in considerable quantities.

HÞV