Yellowtail Flounder
Limanda ferruginea
Also known as Flounder, Rusty dab
Culinary Profile
Sweet and mild.
Lean, boneless, flaky, and firm.
Flounder is a good low-fat source of B vitamins and niacin.
Gastronomic Specifications
Biology & Habitat
Appearance
Yellowtail flounder is a thin-bodied, right-eyed flounder. They are wide—nearly half as broad as they are long—with an oval body. Their upper side, including the fins, is brownish or olive, tinged with red and marked with large, irregular rusty red spots. The underside is white, except for the caudal peduncle (the area between the body and the tail), which is yellowish.
Biology
Yellowtail flounder grow faster than most flatfish, up to 22 inches and 2.2 pounds. They can live up to 17 years, although most don’t live past age 7. They also mature earlier than most flatfish. Almost all females are able to reproduce by the time they reach age 3. They spawn during the spring and summer.
Where They Live
Range Yellowtail flounder are found along the Atlantic coast of North America from Newfoundland to the Chesapeake Bay. Habitat Yellowtail flounder are relatively sedentary. They live on sandy bottoms in waters between 130 and 230 feet deep. Fishery Management There are three stocks of yellowtail flounder in U.S. waters, the Gulf of Maine/Cape Cod, Georges Bank, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks.
How to Buy & Source
Availability
Year-round.
Source
U.S. wild-caught from Maine to New Jersey.
Commercial Fishery & Harvest
Commercial Fishery for Yellowtail Flounder In 2023, commercial landings of yellowtail flounder totaled 626,000 million pounds, and were valued at $439,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Gear Types, Habitat Impacts, and Bycatch Yellowtail flounder are commonly harvested using trawl nets and, to a lesser extent, gillnets. Areas closures and gear restrictions reduce habitat impacts from trawl nets. Fishermen follow management measures to designed to reduce interactions with marine mammals, including gear modifications, seasonal closures, and use of marine mammal deterrents. Recreational Fishery for Yellowtail Flounder Yellowtail flounder are not commonly encountered by the recreational fishery.
Nutritional Benchmarking Across 111 Species
Where Yellowtail Flounder ranks against the rest of the catalogue on each of USDA FoodData Central's per-100 g nutrient measures.
| Nutrient | Value | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 23.14 g | 7 / 111 | 94% |
| Selenium | 36.5 µg | 32 / 106 | 70% |
| Zinc | 0.52 mg | 46 / 111 | 59% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.3 µg | 68 / 106 | 36% |
| Iron | 0.49 mg | 68 / 111 | 39% |
| Phosphorus | 157 mg | 106 / 111 | 5% |
Other New England/Mid-Atlantic Fisheries
Sustainable species managed out of the same regional fishery council as Yellowtail Flounder.
Acadian Redfish
Sebastes fasciatus
Mild and slightly sweet. Redfish can be used as a substitute for haddock and similar fish.
American Lobster
Homarus americanus
Mild and sweet.
American Plaice
Hippoglossoides platessoides
Subtle, sweet flavor.
Atlantic Chub Mackerel
Scomber colias
Rich, pronounced flavor.
Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab
Chaceon quinquedens
Sweet and clean.
Atlantic Halibut
Hippoglossus hippoglossus
Halibut has a very mild, sweet taste.
Atlantic Pollock
Pollachius virens
Sweet and delicate.
Atlantic Salmon
Salmo salar
Buttery, rich taste.
Atlantic Sea Scallop
Placopecten magellanicus
Sea scallops have a sweet, rich taste that can be mild or briny.
Haddock
Melanogrammus aeglefinus
Slightly sweet.
Similar by Flavour: Other Mild-Tasting Species
If you enjoy the mild flavour profile of Yellowtail Flounder, 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
Who manages the Yellowtail Flounder fishery?
There are three stocks of yellowtail flounder in U.S. waters, the Gulf of Maine/Cape Cod, Georges Bank, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks. NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council manage Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder; NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council collaborate with Canada to jointly manage Geor…
How much Yellowtail Flounder is caught commercially?
Commercial Fishery for Yellowtail Flounder In 2023, commercial landings of yellowtail flounder totaled 626,000 million pounds, and were valued at $439,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database . Gear Types, Habitat Impacts, and Bycatch Yellowtail flounder are commonly harvested using trawl nets and, to a lesser extent, gillnets.
Is Yellowtail Flounder a lean fish or a rich one?
At 146 kcal per 100 g raw, Yellowtail Flounder counts as rich 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 yellowtail flounder is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Stock Structure
There are three stocks of yellowtail flounder: Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stock, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine stock, and a Georges Bank stock. According to the most recent stock assessments: The Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stock is overfished, but not subject to overfishing (2022 stock assessment). Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART .
Population
The Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine stock is not overfished. The Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks are overfished, but the fishing rate established under rebuilding plans promotes population growth.
Fishing Rate
The Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks are not subject to overfishing. Overfishing status is unknown for the Georges Bank stock, but catch is at recommended level.
Habitat Impacts
Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitats that are affected by some kinds of trawl gear.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Management
There are three stocks of yellowtail flounder in U.S. waters, the Gulf of Maine/Cape Cod, Georges Bank, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks. NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council manage Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder; NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council collaborate with Canada to…
Data Source: NOAA Fisheries
Nutritional Profile
per 100 g raw edible portion · 17 values
Energy
Macronutrients
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.