Stock Status within the North Sea Plaice

Key Findings

  • Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) is a benthic coastal species that lies partly buried on the seabed during the day and is typically active at night. The species is mostly abundant in the southern North Sea and the east coast of the UK. A type of flatfish, plaice usually display spawning activity throughout the shallower parts of the southern North Sea and off the eastern coast of Britain (from Flamborough Head to the Moray Firth) peaking between February and March. The eggs are distributed across the water column and the larvae metamorphosise to concentrate on the seabed. The juveniles seek refuge in shallow, sandy bays and estuaries on the North Sea coasts of England and continental Europe that act as nursery grounds, and they disperse further offshore with increasing age. They have adapted to successfully spawn in areas with strong tidal currents by ‘selective tidal transport’, which is also utilised in the seasonal migration between spawning and feeding grounds and by metamorphosised larvae. Plaice are commercially exploited in coastal waters using gill nets and deeper waters by bottom-trawl fisheries, mainly as target species (or bycatch) in the beam-trawl fishery.
  • North Sea Plaice are considered to be a 'Best Choice' by the Marine Conservation Society in the northern North Sea.
  • Landings for local ports are not listed within Scottish Fisheries Statistics. Combined Scottish catches are shown in Table 1 - with a peak in 218 - then a decline in volume and value.
  • Catches of Plaice increased in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in a reduction in Stock Biomass. Since the mid-2000s catching and effort have reduced and stock biomass has increased. 

 

Nursary and spawning area in Scotland

ICES Stock assessment for Plaice

Notes

Linked Information Sheets

Seafood Landings by Value into the North East of Scotland - Employment in the fishing industry offshore- Employment in the fishing industry onshore- Markets for Seafood - Fraserburgh Harbour, Peterhead Harbour - Aberdeen Harbour - Small Harbours north of Aberdeen - Small Harbours South of Aberdeen – Status of key commercial species – Numbers of fishing vessels – Training - Employment - Mackerel line catch value

Key sources of Information

Reviewed on/by

19/09/23 by Ian Hay

 

Status

 First Draft (this is for demonstration only at this time and has not been reviewed) 

To report errors, highlight new data, or discuss alternative interpretations, please complete the form below and we will aim to respond to you within 28 days

This field is mandatory

I hereby agree that this data will be stored and processed for the purpose of establishing contact. I am aware that I can revoke my consent at any time.*

This field is mandatory

* Indicates required fields
There was an error submitting your message. Please try again.
Thank you! We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact us

Telephone: 07971149117

E-mail: ian.hay@stateofthecoast.scot

East Grampian Coastal Partnership (EGCP) Logo

© 2023 - All rights reserved. EGCP Limited

Cover Photograph - David R. Green

We need your consent to load the translations

We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.