Atlantic Halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus

The Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) is the world’s largest flatfish, capable of reaching exceptional sizes, and was once present across a wide range of the North Atlantic, including the North Sea. Commercial fishing pressure has dramatically reduced populations, and the species is now considered globally endangered. In the North Sea, it is very rarely encountered, and records from Suffolk waters – whether historical or recent – are exceptional. As the largest of all flatfish, any verified sighting or capture in the southern North Sea is of significant interest to fisheries scientists monitoring the species’ slow and uncertain recovery. Image: © Joachim S Müller, iNaturalist.

Find out more: iNaturalist, Marine Life Information Centre