Yellowfin Sole
Limanda aspera
Also known as Sole, Flounder
Culinary Profile
Mild, sweet flavor.
Firm and delicate with small flakes.
Yellowfin sole is an excellent source of low-fat protein and calcium.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Yellowfin sole are a flatfish with a small mouth and moderately large eyes that are both on one side of their body. Their body shape is generally round with rounded edges on the tail fin. Their upper side is olive to dark brown with dark mottling, and their underside is pale. Yellowfin sole are named for their yellowish fins. Their fins also have faint dark bars and a narrow dark line at their base.
Biology
Yellowfin sole grow up to more than 1.5 feet long and can live up to 39 years. Most females are able to reproduce when they reach 10.5 years old, or when they’re about 1 foot long. They spawn in the spring and summer in shallow waters on the inner continental shelf. Females produce between 1 and 3 million eggs. Larvae and early juveniles eat plankton and algae.
Where They Live
Range In the United States, yellowfin sole are found in the North Pacific Ocean from British Columbia up to the Chukchi Sea (north of the Bering Sea). Habitat Yellowfin sole live on soft, sandy ocean bottoms on the eastern Bering Sea Shelf. Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the yellowfin sole fishery.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Alaska.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
In 2023, commercial landings of yellowfin sole totaled 245 million pounds, and were valued at $42 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Bottom trawls are used to catch yellowfin sole. Trawls that are used to harvest yellowfin sole can contact the ocean floor and impact habitats, depending on the makeup of the ocean bottom and the size of the gear. Bottom trawls cause minimal damage to habitat when targeting yellowfin sole over soft, sandy, or muddy ocean bottoms in Alaska. NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council have implemented large closed areas to protect sensitive habitats from bottom trawls.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 106 Species
Where Yellowfin 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 | 90.6 µg | 1 / 106 | 99% |
| Protein | 24.4 g | 2 / 111 | 98% |
| Phosphorus | 278 mg | 5 / 111 | 95% |
| Choline | 65 mg | 12 / 65 | 82% |
| Vitamin D | 1.7 IU | 33 / 54 | 39% |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.08 µg | 43 / 106 | 59% |
| Iron | 0.77 mg | 46 / 111 | 59% |
| Omega-3 DHA | 88 mg | 85 / 104 | 18% |
| Zinc | 0.37 mg | 91 / 111 | 18% |
| Omega-3 EPA | 12 mg | 102 / 104 | 2% |
Other Alaska Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Yellowfin Sole.
Alaska Pollock
Gadus chalcogrammus
Pollock has mild-tasting flesh and is similar to other white fish like cod or haddock.
Alaska Snow Crab
Chionoecetes opilio
Sweet.
Greenland Turbot
Reinhardtius hippoglossoides
Sweet, rich flavor that is similar to halibut.
Red King Crab
Paralithodes camtschaticus
Red king crab meat has a distinctive rich, sweet flavor and delicate texture.
Similar by Flavour: Other Mild-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the mild flavour profile of Yellowfin 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
How should Yellowfin Sole be cooked?
Yellowfin Sole has Firm and delicate with small flakes. — suited to gentle methods that preserve moisture (poaching, sous-vide, low-heat roasting) as much as high-heat techniques (grilling, searing), depending on thickness of the cut.
Where in the water column does Yellowfin Sole live?
Range In the United States, yellowfin sole are found in the North Pacific Ocean from British Columbia up to the Chukchi Sea (north of the Bering Sea). Habitat Yellowfin sole live on soft, sandy ocean bottoms on the eastern Bering Sea Shelf. Fishery Management NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the yellowfin sole fishery.
How does Yellowfin Sole reproduce?
Yellowfin sole grow up to more than 1.5 feet long and can live up to 39 years. Most females are able to reproduce when they reach 10.5 years old, or when they’re about 1 foot long. They spawn in the spring and summer in shallow waters on the inner continental shelf. Females produce between 1 and 3 million eggs. Larvae and early juveniles eat plankton and algae.
Sustainability Story
U.S. wild-caught yellowfin sole is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
There are two stocks of yellowfin sole: one in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and one in the Gulf of Alaska Shallow Water Flatfish Complex. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands stock is not overfished (2022 stock assessment) and not subject to overfishing based on 2022 catch data.
Population
The Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands stock is not overfished.
Fishing Rate
Not subject to overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitats affected by bottom trawls used to harvest yellowfin sole.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Management
NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the yellowfin sole fishery. Managed under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands : Permits are required, and the number of available permits is limited to control the amount of fishing. Managers set an annual catch limit for yellowfin sole.
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.