Species Spotlight: Winter Flounder
Winter flounder are a species of right-eyed (dextral) estuarine flatfish that belong to the family Pleuronectidae. Winter flounder are also known as Blackback Flounder, Georges Bank Flounder, Rough Flounder, Mud Dab, Gray Sole, or Lemon Sole. Their many names suggest how popular and abundant this fish was at one time along the Northwest Atlantic.
The population of Winter Flounder along the northeast has decreased over the years, largely due to overfishing. However, overfished status cannot be determined. Nowadays, winter flounder is a highly regulated aquatic species that is largely managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Winter Flounder
Pseudopleuronectes americanus
Winter flounder have an oval shape and a thick, flat body.
Winter flounder are found in shallow estuaries, bays, harbors, river mouths, and tidal creeks .
A juvenile winter flounder.
Winter flounder can change color to match the sediment color they are laying in.
Winter Flounder
Scientific Name: Pseudopleuronectes americanus
Identification: Winter flounder have an oval shape and a thick, flat body. They can grow to more than 2 feet in length. It is a "right-eyed" flatfish meaning that its eyes face right when its mouth points up. They have a straight lateral line and dark coloring. Their coloring can vary with their habitat, ranging from muddy to reddish brown, olive green, or dark slate, to an almost black upper side. Their underside is white, and their dorsal and anal fins are often colored with pink, red, or yellow.
Diet: Winter flounder feed during the day because they depend on sight to locate prey. Their flat body allows them to lie half-buried in bottom sands or silts, dark side up for camouflage. This allows them to stay alert for passing prey. It feeds on small invertebrates, shrimp, clams, and worms with its small, toothless, soft mouth.
Habitat: Winter flounder are found in shallow estuaries, bays, harbors, river mouths, and tidal creeks that feature a sandy or silt bottom. They can be found along the coast of Northwest Atlantic, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada to North Carolina.
Find this Species: Winter flounder have two fishing seasons here in New York, a spring and a winter run. The spring run lasts from February through May and the winter run between October and December. The best places to fish for winter flounder are in areas where the tide changes, as well as in running currents.
Interesting Facts: The name 'winter' flounder refers to their annual spawning migrations into nearshore waters in winter.
Winter flounder can live to be 15-18 years old!
They have special chromatophore cells in their skin that lets them change color to match the sediment color they are laying in.
During spawning, females release neutrally buoyant, adhesive eggs. They can produce between 500,000 and 1.5 million eggs! Many factors influence larval and juvenile growth and survival, including temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and food availability.
Larval fish look like all other fish with one eye on each side of their head, swimming upright. As the little flounder becomes a juvenile, its eye moves to the other side of its head.
Winter Flounder is a valuable food fish in the twentieth century. It remains a popular commercial and recreational catch. NYS regulations limit 2 fish per angler that are at least 12 inches in size only from April 30-May 1.