- Wildlife
- Fish and sharks
- Plaice
Julie Hatcher
About
The Plaice is a diamond-shaped flatfish which lives on the sea bottom, on sandy or gravel shores. Young fish can sometimes be found in rockpools. Plaice are mainly nocturnal, feeding on molluscs and worms which they crush with their strong jaws. During the day, they tend to bury themselves in sand or gravel, lying hidden and well-camouflaged.
How to identify
Plaice are distinguished from the other flatfish (of which there are several different species) by their orangey spots and greenish-brown back.
Where to find it
Found all around our coasts.
Habitats
When to find it
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- Novermber
- December
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
How can people help
Plaice are a commercially important species and are under threat from overfishing. You can help by being careful about what you choose in the supermarket - go for sustainably produced fish and shellfish, preferably with the Marine Stewardship Council's logo. The Wildlife Trusts are working with fishermen, researchers, politicians and local people towards a vision of 'Living Seas', where marine wildlife thrives.