The arrowtooth flounder

• Main Author: Hosie, Michael J.
• Other Authors: Oregon. Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Format: Report
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
• Subjects: Flatfish fisheries > Oregon; Arrowtooth flounder; Turbot
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/technical_reports/rn301203s

The arrowtooth flounder has been an important flatfish in Oregon's trawl fishery since the late 1930's. However, it primarily has been used as mink food rather than for human consumption. This is because of its soft, fatty flesh, which is difficult to fillet and quickly becomes “mushy”. The name arrowtooth is derived from the large arrow-shaped teeth of this species. These large teeth and the very large mouth, along with a left eye situated on the upper margin of the head, are used to identify arrowtooth flounder. This species is also commonly called "turbot", a market name unsuccessfully used in the sale of this product for human consumption in the 1940's. Oregon trawl landings for mink food of arrowtooth flounder have fluctuated widely over the years. From 1941 to 1953 landings ranged from about 350,000 pounds to 2.8 million pounds. In 1956, landings peaked at 4.2 million pounds and have since declined to only 155,000 pounds in 1974. This decline has been associated with a general downward trend in Oregon mink food landings caused by the decline of the domestic mink ranching industry. Biological information from arrowtooth flounder landed in Oregon was not gathered until the early 1970’s. Information obtained includes weight, length, sex, age, and maturity. The data from this sampling has much expanded our knowledge about this flatfish.