Scientific Name: Psetta maxima

US Market Names: Turbot

Canada Market Names: Not listed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Flesh & Flavour: Turbot flesh offers a medium fat content, is bright white and firm - offering a flaky texture. Turbot is prized for its delicious, sweet flavour.

Commercially, this bottom-dwelling fish is a highly valuable species – especially in Europe where the fish is more common and priced lower than in the US. Most commercially available Turbot is farmed - however, some wild-caught fish is sparsely available. Turbot was first farmed in Scotland in the 1970s; since then, it has become a major aquaculture resource across Europe - primarily in Spain. Similar to other members of the Flatfish Family - Turbot have both eyes on the same side of their head.

Turbot are a member of Flatfish Family and are native to the Eastern North Atlantic Ocean - Black Sea - Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Wild Turbot populations have been overfished for years and are currently considered depleted. Turbot aquaculture in Europe is well recognized for its sustainability and environmentalism.

Fishy Fact: Due to its superb taste - ancient Romans once referred to Turbot as the “Pheasant of the Seas”?