New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Temperate

Dover sole

Microstomus pacificus Lockington, 1879
Max Length
76 cm
Max Weight
3.5 kg
Lifespan
56 yrs
Trophic Level
3.2
Depth
10–1370 m
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
71.00/100
Typical Length
40 cm
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Adults occur on mud bottom . They move into deep water in winter . Produce large amounts of slime which may cover other fishes when caught in trawls . Marketed as mink food or as fillet .

Scientific Name
Microstomus pacificus
Authority
Lockington, 1879
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
76 cm
Max Weight
3.5 kg
Lifespan
56 years
Depth Range
10–1370 m
Trophic Level
3.2
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
71.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 90 - 116; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 80 - 96; Vertebrae: 50 - 54. Dorsal origin above middle of upper eye. Caudal imperfectly rounded.: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Dover sole is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Dover sole is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
38.5cm TL

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 10 - 1370 m . Temperate; 65°N - 31°N, 178°E - 117°W

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
3.2±0.1

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00661 × L3.07 (TL)
Max TL
76cm
Max Weight
3,500g
Dorsal Rays
103
Anal Rays
88
Vertebrae
52

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2020

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
71.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.2
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Lockington, 1879

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Dover sole is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 16.7 g
Omega-3 (total) 337 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Dover sole has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Dover Sole · Pacific Dover Sole
🇩🇰Danish Stillehavsrødtunge
🇩🇪German Pazifische Limande
🇫🇷French limande-sole · sole à petite bouche
🌍ISL Doverkoli
🇯🇵Japanese アメリカナメタガレイ
🇵🇱Polish Zlocica pacyficzna
🇵🇹Portuguese Solha-de-Dover
🇷🇺Russian Тихоокеанский (американский) малорот · Тихоокеанский малорот
🇪🇸Spanish Lenguado resbaloso · Mendo del Pacífico · platija resbalosa
🇨🇳Chinese 太平洋油鰈

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Glyptocephalus pacificus Lockington 1879 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 56 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Dover sole ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.