Flathead Sole
Hippoglossoides elassodon
Also known as Sole, Flounder, Flathead flounder, Halibut-like flounder
Culinary Profile
Mild and delicate flavor.
Firm and thick fillets.
Flathead sole is an excellent source of low-fat protein as well as calcium and vitamins.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Flathead sole have an oval-shaped, compressed body. They are flatfish, with both of their eyes located on the right side of their head. Their upper side is dark olive brown to reddish gray-brown, sometimes with dusky blotches, and their underside is white. Their dorsal and anal fins have dusky blotches.
Biology
Flathead sole grow up to 1.8 feet and can live at least 34 years. They are able to reproduce at 2 to 3 years old in the southern part of their range, but not until 6 years old in the northern part. Flathead sole spawn from February through April in deeper waters on the continental shelf. Depending on their size, females release 72,000 to 600,000 eggs. Eggs are large and are fertilized externally.
Where They Live
Range Flathead sole are found from Alaska south along the west coast of North America to northern California. Habitat Young flathead sole live in shallow estuaries, bays, and nearshore coastal areas along the Pacific coast. Adults live on mixed muddy and sandy ocean habitats in depths less than 1,000 feet.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Alaska, and sometimes Oregon.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
In 2023, commercial landings of flathead sole totaled 19 million pounds and were valued at approximately $3.3 million dollars, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Almost all commercial harvest of flathead sole comes from Alaska, mainly the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Flathead sole are primarily caught with bottom trawls, and some are caught with pelagic trawls. Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands fishermen use modified trawl gear that reduces the impact of trawling on animals living on the sea floor, including crabs. Halibut, salmon, and crab are incidentally caught in the groundfish fishery in Alaska.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 106 Species
Where Flathead Sole ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selenium | 45.6 µg | 14 / 106 | 87% |
| Vitamin D | 4.7 IU | 20 / 54 | 63% |
| Phosphorus | 236 mg | 26 / 111 | 77% |
| Protein | 18.56 g | 53 / 111 | 52% |
| Choline | 61.8 mg | 58 / 65 | 11% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 128 mg | 68 / 104 | 35% |
| Omega-3 EPA | 66 mg | 72 / 104 | 31% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.1 µg | 88 / 106 | 17% |
| Zinc | 0.36 mg | 96 / 111 | 14% |
| Iron | 0.16 mg | 110 / 111 | 1% |
Other Alaska Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Flathead Sole.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Atheresthes stomias
Mild, sweet flavor.
Bocaccio
Sebastes paucispinis
Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.
Canary Rockfish
Sebastes pinniger
Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor.
Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Chinook salmon has a pronounced buttery, rich taste. They are the most highly prized salmon in the culinary world.
Chum Salmon
Oncorhynchus keta
Chum salmon has a lower oil content than other wild salmon, so it has a relatively mild flavor.
Coho Salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
Smaller coho have a delicate flavor. Fillets from larger fish have a mild taste.
Dover Sole
Microstomus pacificus
Mild and sweet.
English Sole
Parophrys vetulus
Mild taste with a slight shellfish flavor.
Geoduck
Panopea generosa
The neck is tough and crunchy, while the belly meat is tender and sweet.
Pacific Cod
Gadus macrocephalus
Pacific cod is a mild-tasting fish.
Similar by Flavour: Other Mild-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the mild flavour profile of Flathead Sole, these other species in the catalogue will feel familiar on the palate.
Acadian Redfish
Sebastes fasciatus
Mild and slightly sweet. Redfish can be used as a substitute for haddock and similar fish.
Alaska Pollock
Gadus chalcogrammus
Pollock has mild-tasting flesh and is similar to other white fish like cod or haddock.
American Lobster
Homarus americanus
Mild and sweet.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Atheresthes stomias
Mild, sweet flavor.
Atlantic Bigeye Tuna
Thunnus obesus
Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than yellowfintuna. Sashimi lovers prefer it.
Atlantic Cod
Gadus morhua
Atlantic cod has a mild clean flavor. It is sweeter than Pacific cod.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Flathead Sole found?
Range Flathead sole are found from Alaska south along the west coast of North America to northern California. Habitat Young flathead sole live in shallow estuaries, bays, and nearshore coastal areas along the Pacific coast. Adults live on mixed muddy and sandy ocean habitats in depths less than 1,000 feet.
What else is Flathead Sole called?
Flathead Sole is also marketed as Sole, Flounder, Flathead flounder, Halibut-like flounder.
Where in the water column does Flathead Sole live?
Range Flathead sole are found from Alaska south along the west coast of North America to northern California. Habitat Young flathead sole live in shallow estuaries, bays, and nearshore coastal areas along the Pacific coast. Adults live on mixed muddy and sandy ocean habitats in depths less than 1,000 feet.
Is Flathead Sole a lean fish or a rich one?
At 91 kcal per 100 g raw, Flathead Sole counts as lean on the fattiness spectrum — useful context when deciding cooking method (lean species suit poaching; rich species hold up to high-heat sear).
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught flathead sole is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
There are three stocks of flathead sole: a Gulf of Alaska stock, one stock contained in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Flathead Sole Complex, and one stock contained in the Other Flatfish Complex along the Pacific coast. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Gulf of Alaska coast stock is not overfished (2022 stock assessment) and not subject to overfishing based…
Population
Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands flathead sole are not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitats affected by bottom trawls used to harvest flathead sole.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage this fishery in Alaska. Managed under the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska : Fishermen must have a permit to participate in the fishery, and the number of available permits is limited to control the amount of fishing.
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 22 values
Energy
Macronutrients
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamins
Minerals
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). %DV is percent of 2,000-kcal daily value for adults.
calendar_month Harvest Season
Frozen available year-round.