Petrale Sole
Eopsetta jordani
Also known as Sole, Flounder, California sole, Brill, Petral, Jordan’s flounder, Round-nosed sole
Culinary Profile
Sweet, delicate, nutty flavor.
Fine.
Petrale sole is an excellent source of low-fat protein and calcium.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Petrale sole is a right-eyed flounder (both eyes are on its right side), with an oval to round body. Its upper side is uniform light to dark brown, and its underside is white, sometimes with pink traces. Petrale sole have large mouths, with two rows of small, arrow-shaped teeth on their upper jaw and one row of teeth on the lower jaw.
Biology
Petrale sole grow fast when they’re young, and females tend to grow faster than males. Females can reach up to 24 inches long, while males may reach up to 18 inches long. They can live up to 35 years, but recent data suggests few live longer than 17 years. Petrale sole can reproduce when they are 3 to 8 years old, or when they’re about 1 foot long. Females can produce 400,000 to 1.5 million eggs.
Where They Live
Range Petrale sole are found from Alaska to Coronado Island, Baja California. They are rare north and west of southeast Alaska and in the interior waters of British Columbia. Habitat Petrale sole are common on the outer continental shelf in water 330 to 500 feet deep, but can be found in depths ranging from 50 to 1,370 feet.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Washington to California.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
In 2023, commercial landings of petrale sole totaled 6.5 million pounds and were valued at $7.7 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Bottom trawls are used to catch petrale sole. Trawls that are used to harvest petrale sole can contact the ocean floor and impact habitats, depending on the characteristics of the ocean bottom and the size of the gear. Bottom trawls cause minimal damage to habitat when targeting petrale sole over soft, sandy, or muddy ocean bottoms on the West Coast and Alaska. On the West Coast, NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council have implemented large closed areas to minimize bycatch and protect habitat.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 65 Species
Where Petrale Sole ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choline | 65 mg | 12 / 65 | 82% |
| Phosphorus | 252 mg | 16 / 111 | 86% |
| Vitamin D | 2.8 IU | 25 / 54 | 54% |
| Omega-3 EPA | 137 mg | 47 / 104 | 55% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 108 mg | 76 / 104 | 27% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.13 µg | 80 / 106 | 25% |
| Selenium | 26.6 µg | 95 / 106 | 10% |
| Iron | 0.18 mg | 98 / 111 | 12% |
| Protein | 12.41 g | 100 / 111 | 10% |
| Zinc | 0.32 mg | 102 / 111 | 8% |
Other Alaska Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Petrale 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.
Flathead Sole
Hippoglossoides elassodon
Mild and delicate flavor.
Geoduck
Panopea generosa
The neck is tough and crunchy, while the belly meat is tender and sweet.
Similar by Flavour: Other Sweet-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the sweet flavour profile of Petrale 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 Snow Crab
Chionoecetes opilio
Sweet.
Almaco Jack
Seriola rivoliana
Almaco jack has a clean, sweet, rich, slightly nutty, buttery flavor.
American Lobster
Homarus americanus
Mild and sweet.
American Plaice
Hippoglossoides platessoides
Subtle, sweet flavor.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Atheresthes stomias
Mild, sweet flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Petrale Sole eat?
Petrale sole grow fast when they’re young, and females tend to grow faster than males. Females can reach up to 24 inches long, while males may reach up to 18 inches long. They can live up to 35 years, but recent data suggests few live longer than 17 years. Petrale sole can reproduce when they are 3 to 8 years old, or when they’re about 1 foot long. Females can produce 400,000 to 1.5 million eggs.
How much choline does Petrale Sole contain?
A 100 g raw serving of Petrale Sole supplies 65 mg of choline, around 12% of the 550 mg daily value — notable for prenatal and liver-health contexts.
Where is Petrale Sole found?
Range Petrale sole are found from Alaska to Coronado Island, Baja California. They are rare north and west of southeast Alaska and in the interior waters of British Columbia. Habitat Petrale sole are common on the outer continental shelf in water 330 to 500 feet deep, but can be found in depths ranging from 50 to 1,370 feet.
Where in the water column does Petrale Sole live?
Range Petrale sole are found from Alaska to Coronado Island, Baja California. They are rare north and west of southeast Alaska and in the interior waters of British Columbia. Habitat Petrale sole are common on the outer continental shelf in water 330 to 500 feet deep, but can be found in depths ranging from 50 to 1,370 feet.
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught petrale 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 petrale sole: a Pacific coast stock, one stock contained in the Gulf of Alaska Shallow Water Flatfish Complex, and one stock contained in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Other Flatfish Complex. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Pacific coast stock is not overfished (2023 stock assessment) and not subject to overfishing based on 2022 c…
Population
The Pacific Coast stock is not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitats that are affected by bottom trawls used to harvest petrale sole.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the petrale sole fishery on the West Coast. Managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan : Limits on the number of permits and fishermen allowed. Limits on the minimum size of fish that may be harvested. Limit on how much may be harvested in one fishing trip.
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.