Scientific name
Solea solea; Cynoglossus senegalensis; Solea senegalensis
Also known as
Common sole, Dover sole, sole commune, Senegalese tonguesole, sole langue, Senegalese sole
Main origins
France, Senegal, Netherlands, Belgium
Availability
Year round
Overview
About Sole
Common sole is a flatfish living on sandy and muddy seabeds from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, caught by trawl and gillnet. It has fine, firm white flesh with a delicate flavour and is a classic premium fish for restaurants. Senegalese tonguesole is a related West African flatfish with similar uses.
France, the Netherlands and Belgium are leading European sole producers, with French landings in the Bay of Biscay and the Channel. Senegal exports tonguesole fresh by air and frozen by sea, mainly to European markets.
Key points
- Wild caught flatfish
- EU sizes 1 to 5
- Senegal tonguesole, frozen or fresh
- Whole, skinned or fillets
Origins
Where it comes from
France
Trawl and gillnet fisheries in the Bay of Biscay and the Channel supply fresh whole sole.
Senegal
Artisanal and trawl fisheries supply tonguesole, processed in Dakar as whole round, gutted, skinned or fillets.
Netherlands and Belgium
North Sea beam trawl fisheries supply a large share of European sole landings.
Available origins vary through the year. Contact us for current availability.
Specifications
Available formats
| Product forms | Fresh whole; frozen whole round, whole gutted, skinned, fillets |
| Sizes | France (EU grades, kg per fish): 1 at 0.5 and over; 2 at 0.33/0.5; 3 at 0.25/0.33; 4 at 0.17/0.25; 5 at 0.12/0.17. Senegal (g per fish): 100/200, 200/300, 300/500, 500/700 |
| Freezing | Plate or blast frozen, or IQF, glazed |
| Packing | Fresh in polystyrene boxes with ice; frozen interleaved or IQF in cartons |
| Availability | Year round; landings vary with area and season |
| Certifications | EU approved establishments; HACCP; BRC or IFS at selected processors |
Senegalese tonguesole (Cynoglossus) is a different species from common sole and should be labelled as such. Specifications are typical for the trade and vary by origin and supplier. We source to your exact requirements.
Interested in Sole?
Send us your specification, volumes and destination and we will come back to you with suitable offers.