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Dieren en planten

Fish   Flatfish   Sole   Plaice   Turbot   Marine fauna   The fauna coastal waters   

Turbot

size:

can grow larger than a meter

weight:

at max. size 30 kilograms

color:

sandy colored to brown, with lots of specks and dots

age:

maximum 25 years

food:

small crustaceans and fish

  • Ned: Tarbot (Terrebut)
  • Lat: Scophthalmus maximus (Psetta maxima)
  • Eng: Turbot
  • Dui: Steinbutt
  • Fren: Turbot
  • Dan: Pighvarre
  • Nor: Piggvar
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Turbot, Ecomare

Turbot

Turbot are large flatfish that easily change their outer coloring to match the sea floor. By camouflaging themselves so well, they are able to catch a meal of crustaceans and fish from their hideout. Most flatfish have both their eyes on the original right side of their body. However, turbot have them on the left side. This species can grow quite large, up to one meter long.

On Texel


In September 2002, a Texel fisherman caught a rarely large turbot off the coast of England. The fish was 1.20 meters long and weighed 18.6 kilograms. Experts estimated it to be between 15 and 20 years old, an age that isn't often reached nowadays due to intensive fisheries.

  • On Texel

    In September 2002, a Texel fisherman caught a rarely large turbot off the coast of England. The fish was 1.20 meters long and weighed 18.6 kilograms. Experts estimated it to be between 15 and 20 years old, an age that isn't often reached nowadays due to intensive fisheries.

  • Distribution of turbot
    Distribution of turbot, Ecomare

    Turbot is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea. It is a common fish along the Dutch coast. Young turbot grow up in warm shallow coastal water. They are regularly caught along the beach.

  • Eating turbot
    young Turbot, foto fitis

    People also eat a lot of turbot. A special frying pan has even been invented for preparing this fish, the turbotiére, in which its diamond-shaped body fits perfectly. Therefore, it must really be a delicious fish. The Dutch queen supposedly chooses turbot often to be served at state dinners.

    Turbot is caught mostly as bycatch. It is also cultivated, such as by Seafarm in Kamperland. It is also a diserable fish for anglers. The Dutch angling record is 78 centimeters.

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    Turbot, Ecomare

    At the larva stage, turbot stuff themselves with small active zooplankton. As juveniles, they eat small crustaceans. When longer than 10 centimeters, it starts to feed on fish and the amount of crustaceans in its diet decreases. When a turbot is longer than 30 centimeters, its diet is pure fish.