Sole (fish)

A sole is a flat fish.

It lives on the sea floor. The name comes from a sandal. This is because it looks like one.

Some soles live in fresh water. Others live in the salty sea. Some people call them tongue fish. They can live for forty years. But many now grow very slowly. This is because too many are caught. We must help protect these fish.

A sole is a type of flatfish.

Many different fish are called soles. In Europe, people use the name for true soles. These belong to the family Soleidae. In the Americas, some people call Achiridae fish soles. These can live in fresh water or the sea. Some other fish are also called soles. These include tonguefishes and some types of flounder.

The name sole comes from a Latin word. It means a sandal. This is because the fish looks like a sandal. In other places, people name them after tongues.

Many sole fish face big problems today. Overfishing means people catch too many of them. In the North Sea, sole are not in safe limits. They are growing more slowly than before. Most sole are rarely older than six years. However, they can live to be forty years old. In 2006, the World Wildlife Fund found a problem. They said seven of nine sole stocks were overfished. Some are caught by beam trawlers. These nets can catch many other fish by mistake. This is called bycatch. Because of this, Greenpeace put the common sole on a red list.

A sole is a special kind of flatfish.

Many different fish share this name. In Europe, people call true soles by this name. These belong to the family Soleidae. In the Americas, some fish in the family Achiridae are called soles. These can live in salt water or fresh water. Other fish like tonguefishes and some flounders are also called soles.

This name helps us group many similar looking fish together.

The way these fish look gives them their name. The word sole comes from a Latin word. It means a sandal. This is because the fish is flat like a shoe. In other places, people use different names. For example, Greek and German speakers call them tongues. In Spanish, they use a name that means dragon tongue. In Arabic, one name means the tongue of an ox.

Scientists and writers have studied these fish for a long time. Alan Davidson wrote about North Atlantic seafood in 1979. He also wrote about Mediterranean seafood in 1972. These books help us understand where the fish live. We also know about the names people use. A dictionary from 1896 tells us about the Latin roots. These records help us track how we talk about sea life.

Today, many sole face hard jobs in the ocean. In the North Sea, they are not in safe limits. This is because of overfishing. This means people catch too many fish. Most sole now grow slowly. They are rarely older than six years old. However, they can actually live to be forty years old.

In 2006, the World Wildlife Fund found a big problem. They said seven of nine sole stocks were overfished.

We can see how these fish link to our world. Many sole are caught by beam trawlers. These large nets can catch other fish by mistake. This is called bycatch. Because of this, Greenpeace put the common sole on a red list in 2010. This list shows fish that are at high risk. It helps people know which fish are hard to find. We must learn how to protect them.

A sole is a type of marine flatfish. These fish belong to the suborder Pleuronectoidei. This group includes many different families of fish. Most people use the name "sole" to describe fish in the family Soleidae. However, the name is used more broadly in different parts of the world. In the Americas, the name applies to the family Achiridae. These American soles can live in both marine and freshwater environments.

The name "sole" itself has interesting origins. In English, French, and Italian, the word comes from a Latin term. This Latin word refers to a sandal. The name describes the flat shape of the fish. In other languages, the names focus on the shape of a tongue. For example, Greek and German speakers use names meaning "tongue." In Spanish, the name translates to "dragon tongue." Arabic speakers use a term meaning "the tongue of ox."

There are several distinct types of fish that fall under the name sole. The first group is the true soles in the family Soleidae. This includes the common or Dover sole, known scientifically as Solea solea. In Europe, these are the only fish called soles. The second group is the American soles, which belong to the family Achiridae. A third group includes the tonguefishes, or tongue soles, in the family Cynoglossidae. Finally, some righteye flounders in the family Pleuronectidae are also called soles. These include the lemon sole, the Pacific Dover sole, and the petrale sole.

Researchers have documented these fish for many decades. Alan Davidson wrote important studies on seafood. He published work on Mediterranean seafood in 1972. He also wrote about North Atlantic seafood in 1979. Other historical records help us understand the language used for these fish. For instance, a dictionary from 1896 provides details on the Latin etymology. These records help scientists and historians track how we classify and name sea life.

Many sole populations are currently facing serious threats from overfishing. In the North Sea, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) lists sole as being outside safe biological limits. This is similar to other bottom-feeding fish like cod, monkfish, and plaice. In the western English Channel and the Irish Sea, fisheries face a potential collapse. This risk is noted in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In 2006, the World Wildlife Fund reported that seven of nine sole stocks were overfished.

Environmental data shows how much these populations have changed. In 2003, world stocks of large predatory and ground fish were estimated at only 10% of pre-industrial levels. This includes fish like sole and flounder. The age of the fish is also changing due to these pressures. While sole can reach forty years of age, they are now growing less quickly. Many sole are rarely older than six years old today.

The way we catch fish also impacts the survival of the sole. Many are caught using beam trawlers. These methods often have a very high bycatch rate. Bycatch occurs when other species are caught unintentionally in the nets. Because of this, Greenpeace International added the common sole to its seafood red list in 2010. This red list identifies fish sold in supermarkets that have a high risk of being unsustainable. Understanding these connections helps us see how fishing methods affect the whole ocean system.