Norwegian record European flounder: 2.93 kg

About European flounder

The European flounder (Platichthys flesus) is one of the most common flatfish along the Norwegian coast and is found around the whole country. It copes well with brackish and fresh water and often moves into estuaries and rivers in summer. The eyed side is grey to olive-brown, sometimes with faint reddish spots, so it can be mistaken for plaice; the surest clue is the row of rough, bony knobs along the lateral line and where the dorsal and anal fins meet the body. It lives on sand, gravel and mud from the shoreline to around 100 m, eating clams, worms, crustaceans and small fish. Most are under 30 cm, with a maximum of about 50–60 cm. Adults move to deeper water in winter and spawn there in spring. Flounder is a popular catch from beaches and piers on worm, shrimp or mussel from spring through autumn. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Havforskningsinstituttet, Wikipedia, Britannica

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: April
• Red list status: LC (2021)

See the species guide

Biggest European flounder in FishComp

550 g (19 % of the record) by Dag Rune Kvittem. See the catch

How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.