Petrale Sole

Common Name:

Petrale Sole

Scientific Name:

Eopsetta jordani

Market Name(s):

California sole, Petral

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Sourcing Summary

1-2 ft.

Petrale is a round or oval-shaped flounder with a big mouth and both eyes on its right side; the blind side is white and the eyed side is light to dark brown. Flatfish quality varies widely so the best ones will have uniform color and no bruising, according to some buyers. Petrale sole is sold fresh and frozen, whole and in skinless fillets. Petrale sole is an excellent source of low-fat protein, calcium, and other nutrients. The best time to buy petrale is in the winter, when prices are the lowest. Since larger flatfish sell for a premium, smaller fillets can be a good value, according to some buyers.

Harvest Methods

Wild

Trawl

Product Forms

Fresh

  • Fillet
  • Steaks
  • Whole

Frozen

  • Fillet
  • Steaks
  • Whole
Fresh Seasonal Availability
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Culinary Composition

Flavor

Mild
Sweet
Strong

Texture

Delicate
Medium
Firm

Oil

Low
Medium
High

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition facts

Serving size: 100 Grams
Amount per serving
  • Calories
    91.00
  • Total Fat
    1.20
    g
  • Cholesterol
    48.00
    mg
  • Sodium
    81.00
    mg
  • Carbohydrates
    0.00
    g
  • Protein
    18.80
    g
  • Omega-3
    0.20
    g

Cooking Methods

Advisory Concern

Biology

Petrale sole are fast growing flatfishes that can grow up to two feet long and live up to 17 years. Females are generally larger and grow to an average length of 24 inches, with males averaging 18 inches long.  Adults migrate from deeper water to shallower waters to feed in the summer. The majority of the spawning occurs in deep water from November to April along the North American west coast, though spawning occurs earlier in California. Petrale sole reproduce when they are three to eight years or when they reach about one foot long. Females can produce 400,000 to 1.5 million eggs. Larvae spend their first 6 months in the water column feeding on plankton before they are large enough to move to the ocean bottom. Adults feed on crustaceans, pelagic fishes, and even juvenile petrale sole. Sharks, marine mammals, and a variety of large pelagic fishes prey on adult petrale sole. 

Species Habitat

Petrale sole are found from northern Baja California to the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and the Gulf of Alaska – though the species is considered rare north and west of southeast Alaska. Petrale sole spend their first six months in the water column. Juveniles and adults are bottom dwellers and live on sandy and muddy ocean bottoms along the outer continental shelf. Petrale sole are commonly found at depths from 330 to 500 feet deep though species can inhabit depths from 50 to 1,370 feet.

Science & Management:
  • Wild
    Science: 

    NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center conducts annual trawl surveys to assess the status of groundfish stocks. Coastal states and treaty tribes also conduct port-side monitoring programs for petrale sole. These programs provide important biological data that support stock assessments and research. Further research is needed to model historic trends in abundance of petrale sole, catch histories, age and reproduction as well as the impacts of climate change on the species.

    Management: 

    NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the petrale sole fishery along the US West Coast. The fishery is managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. In addition to petrale sole, the plan applies to dover sole, sablefish, and a variety of other species caught in the multi-species US West Coast groundfish fishery. The plan:

    • Set limits to minimal allowable harvest size and sets quotas for how many fish can be harvested in a single trip
    • Sets gear restrictions to reduce bycatch and habitat impacts
    • Sets fishing closures based on seasonality and ecologically sensitive areas

    Another component of the plan is the establishment of an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) catch share program. The plan limits the amount of fishers able to participate in the fishery, restricts the number of fishing permits available, and sets a total allowable catch limit. A subset of the IFQ, the California Groundfish Collective (CGC), comprises 11 fishing operations that have entered into an agreement to pool member’s IFQs. Strong management and up-to-date stock assessments characterize the CGC.

    NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the petrale sole fishery in Alaska. Petrale sole are managed under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. However, there is no direct fishery for this species in Alaska and the species is considered rare north and west of southeast Alaska.

    Petrale Sole are caught off the coast of British Columbia and the Canadian fishery is managed under Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

Wild

Impact on Stock

Petrale sole, which are actually more closely related to flounder, are found from southern California to Alaska. Although the population was considered overfished along the U.S. West Coast, a 2013 stock assessment concluded that the fish is rebuilding and no longer experiencing overfishing, according to FishWatch. In the Gulf of Alaska, the last assessment showed petrale sole is not overfished or subject to overfishing. In British Columbia, the population has been increasing from low levels of the 1990s and a 2014 Seafood Watch report indicated the stock is healthy.

Habitat Impacts

Petrale sole are caught using bottom trawls that are usually destructive to the seafloor, but the sole typically dwell in sandy and muddy bottom habitats that require little recolonization to recover, compared with rocky or reef habitats. In British Columbia, Seafood Watch credited spatial management measures as helping to minimize potential habitat damage, particularly on corals and sponges.

Bycatch

Bycatch in the groundfish fishery that covers Petrale sole is higher in northern shallower offshore shelf waters, according to FishWatch. However, given the multispecies nature of the integrated groundfish fisheries, Seafood Watch noted that there are few species that can be called bycatch in the traditional sense. 

Management Effectiveness

In the U.S., petrale sole is managed by NOAA Fisheries, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages the species in British Columbia. Measures in the U.S. West Coast include a limited number of permits, a trawl rationalization catch share program that started in 2011, gear restrictions, and area closures. In Alaska, petrale sole fall under the groundfish fishery management plan. Seafood Watch reports from 2014 called petrale sole management in the U.S. and Canada strong overall.

Farmed
Origin Harvest Method Sustainability Ratings
Canada - British Columbia Bottom Trawls
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Canada - British Columbia (3CD shallow water flatfish fishery) Bottom Trawls
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Unassessed Origin Unassessed Fishing Methods
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Unassessed Origin Unassessed Farming Methods
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Alaska - Gulf of Alaska Wild-caught
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
NOAA FSSI- 4 out of 4
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - California California Groundfish Collective
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
NOAA FSSI- 4 out of 4
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - West Coast Bottom Trawls
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
NOAA FSSI- 4 out of 4
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - West Coast Midwater Trawl
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
NOAA FSSI- 4 out of 4
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - West Coast (MSC) Otter Trawl
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Worldwide RAS - recirculating aquaculture systems (with wastewater treatment)
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Name Country State/Province
A&R Seafood Company United States California
Aqualine Seafoods Ltd. Canada British Columbia
Bornstein Seafoods Inc. United States Oregon
Canadian Fishing Company Canada British Columbia
Central California Seafood Marketing Association United States California
Codfathers Seafood Market Canada British Columbia
Empire Fish Company United States Wisconsin
Flying Fish Company United States Oregon
Foods In Season United States Washington
Fort Bragg Groundfish Association United States California
FreshCatch United States California
Intercity Packers Meat & Seafood Canada British Columbia
Lusamerica Foods United States, United States, United States California
Mikuni Wild Harvest United States Washington
Monterey Fish Market United States California
Morning Star Fisheries LLC United States California
Northeast Seafood Products, Inc. United States Colorado
Northwest Fresh Seafood Company United States Oregon
Pacific Harvest Seafoods United States California
Pacific Seafood Group, Inc. United States Oregon
Pike Place Fish Market United States Washington
Pioneer Seafoods United States California
Real Good Fish United States California
Robbie's Ocean Fresh Seafood, Inc. United States California
Royal Hawaiian Seafood United States California
Santa Monica Seafood, Inc. United States California
Sea Forager Seafood United States California
Sea to Table, USA United States New York
Seacore Seafood Canada Ontario
Seafood Merchants Ltd. United States Illinois
Seattle Fish Co United States Colorado
Seattle Fish Company - Kansas City United States Missouri
South Bay Wild, Inc. United States California
Star Fisheries Inc. United States California
Tradex Foods Inc. Canada British Columbia
Vital Choice Seafood United States Washington
Wild For Salmon United States Pennsylvania

Acknowledgements

  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • NOAA Fisheries
  • Seafood Watch Program
  • SeafoodSource
Last Updated: 8/7/2020