Halibut is a valuable commercial fish. It has no natural enemies other than humans, and since prey is limited, the fish can grow to gigantic sizes. Halibut fillet is valued for its taste and is rich in valuable substances. Diet lovers will enjoy the low calorie content of halibut dishes.
Halibut belongs to the flounder family and is considered its largest representative. During its long life, and some species live up to 35 years, the fish can gain weight of more than 300 kg and exceed two human heights.
The eyes on the oval elongated body are located on one side. The body width is one third of the length. The large mouth is full of sharp teeth pointing backwards.
The asymmetry of the head of halibut is not as pronounced as that of flounder. There is a spine at the anus, and the caudal fin is characterized by notches.
Types of halibut
Halibut is divided into three genera and a total of 5 species. They differ mainly in habitat and size.
Arrowtooth halibut
The name matches the appearance. Both jaws are equipped with two rows of sharp teeth with arrow-shaped ends. The fish is protected from potential enemies by spiny scales, characteristic of perches.
Arrowtooth halibut is divided into Asian and American species:
- Asian (Atheresthes evermanni)
- lives in the Japanese, Okhotsk and Bering seas. The color of both sides is gray with a brown tint. The underside is a little lighter. In winter it can drop up to two kilometers, and in summer it rises to shallow water. Individuals keep in packs. Grows up to a meter long. Can weigh about 9 kg at 33 years of age. It differs in the location of the upper eye, which is located below the upper border of the head. - American (Atheresthes stomias)
- can be found off the western coast of the North American continent. It is caught very rarely in Russian waters. It differs from the Asian one in its brown color and the location of the upper eye in a notch on the top of the head. The blind side is light with a purple tint. It lives up to 23 years, but its dimensions are modest - 60 cm in length, up to 3 kg in weight.
Black halibut
It is distinguished by the dark color of the bottom side. Because of its gray-blue tint, the species (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) is often called the bluebark. The sighted side is gray in various tones. Habitat: Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea. Not afraid of low temperatures. Feels great in cold water -1.5°C, so it survives at depths of up to 2 km. It differs from other species in its active lifestyle. It often swims, assuming a vertical position due to the fact that one eye is located in a recess between the sighted and blind sides of the body.
The largest individuals reach 130 cm and weigh more than 40 kg. The diet of young animals up to 50 cm consists of squid. As the body grows, the black halibut becomes a larger fish.
Halibut
White halibut is a more heat-loving representative of the genus. Prefers to be in water from 3 to 8°C. Occupies a depth of 700-1000 meters. Young animals inhabit shallow waters.
There are two types:
- Atlantic (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)
- the largest species of the entire family, lives in the northern part of the Atlantic from Iceland to New York and in the adjacent areas of the Arctic Ocean to the island of Novaya Zemlya. In Russia, it inhabits the southwest of the Barents Sea. There were individuals 4.7 m long and weighing 350 kg. Fishing vessels usually catch young fish up to 6 kg, with a maximum size of up to a meter. Trapping is limited as the species is classified as endangered. Sport fishermen often return the fish they catch to the sea. The diamond-shaped body of juveniles is dark brown or gray with spots of a lighter shade. Adult fish have a uniform color. - Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis)
- inhabits depths of up to a kilometer, but is smaller in size than the Atlantic. It has a dark brown or gray color. Lives in the Bering and Okhotsk seas.
Halibut flounder is often mistakenly classified as halibut. It also occupies the northern regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, where it is mined on an industrial scale. It is distinguished from halibut by its small size up to 60 cm and weight less than 2 kg.
Features and habitat
Halibut fish is exclusively marine. It prefers to be at great depths with a high salt content, but in summer, in warm weather, adult individuals also rise to the middle zones.
Individuals of this species are found in the northern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Some of them prefer the northern seas as their territorial habitat: Bering, Barents, Okhotsk and Japan. The bottom where halibuts spend their time must be clean and not silted.
Externally, it is easy to determine that this fish belongs to the halibut species. The description of the halibut fish gives a clear idea of its appearance. This fish has a flat, asymmetrical shape, and both of its eyes are located on the right side.
The mouth has a round shape and a deep cut under the right eye. The mouth contains strong, sharp teeth. The color can vary from light green to black. Most often, the color depends on the color of the soil in the habitat of the individuals. The fish is colored only from the back.
There is also a line running down the center of the back that has a sharp bend near the head. The ventral part is white or slightly gray. The rear fin is rounded and concave. The width of an individual is one third of the length of its body. Adults are quite large. Marine representatives usually grow up to a meter and weigh no more than 4 kilograms.
Masking halibut
Inhabitants of the oceans often exceed the meter mark in length, and weigh much more than 100 kg. There are cases in history when individuals weighing more than 300 kilograms were caught. There are 4 main groups of representatives of this species:
- Whitetail halibuts are the largest representatives of the species. Under favorable conditions and proper nutrition, they are capable of reaching 5 meters with a weight of over 350 kg.
- Arrowtooth halibuts are small individuals no heavier than 3 kg and 70-75 centimeters long.
- Black halibuts are medium-sized halibuts, just over a meter in length and weighing up to 50 kg.
- Halibut flounders are the smallest representatives, rarely reaching a kilogram with a body length of 40-50 cm.
In the photo of the Halibut fish, its specific feature, the altered shape of the skull, is clearly visible.
Halibut size
Halibut grows throughout its life, especially rapidly after puberty. Individuals were caught at 33 years of age, which is considered the maximum age for this genus. The largest are Atlantic halibuts. They can reach almost 5 m in length, eating a mass of about 300 kg. On average, the usual size of halibut is up to 2 m for males and up to 2.3 m for females. Weight rarely exceeds 110 kg.
Pacific halibuts are almost 2 times smaller than Atlantic ones. In 1974, fishermen caught a representative in the Bering Sea, 33 years old, weighing 227 kilograms and a total length of 2.5 m.
The black species does not reach 1.5 m, on average it is about 80 cm long, and the arrow-toothed one is up to 70 cm.
What does he look like?
These sea creatures have an unusual and spectacular appearance. First of all, they amaze with their size.
Record sizes
Halibut is the largest representative of flat fish of the flounder family.
It can grow up to 2.5 m in length and weigh in excess of 320 kg. The largest halibut was caught in northern Norway. Its length was 2.5 m. There are two types of true halibut - Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) and Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis). The Pacific is found along the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada - from California to Alaska, as well as on the coasts of Russia, Japan, Korea and in the Bering Sea. California halibut has the scientific name Paralichthys californicus and is found from Washington to Baja California. On average, the 2 to 2.5 m long halibut typically weighs between 136 and 160 kg. The world record for fish weight belongs to Pacific halibut from Alaska and is 208 kg, 200 g.
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To secure the record, the halibut must be brought on board alive, rather than killed before being hauled out. It is much safer to bring a huge halibut on board after it has become tired.
Despite the fact that a lot of much larger fish were actually “caught,” the records were not counted because the necessary conditions were not met. In addition, every year there are many halibut that have a chance to break this record in the future. Pacific halibut is much larger than its California cousin.
Migrating eyes
Halibut has several unique characteristics. When the fry hatch from the eggs, their eyes are located on both sides of the body and they swim in the same way as other fish breeds. Then, after about 6 months, as the fish grows, one eye moves through the top of the head to the other side of the body. The young fish begins to swim on its side and both of its eyes are already located on one upper side.
Genius of camouflage: unusual color
The halibut's coloring is for camouflage. Its upper side is dark brown with spots, in order to remain invisible on the ocean floor, and the lower - light part - merges with the light falling from above and it is difficult to see the surfaced fish from below.
Interesting features
Halibut has very small scales that are difficult to see with the naked eye. He practically has smooth skin. The halibut's mouth opens to its eyes and is armed with sharp, curved teeth, and its eyes are spaced further apart than those of most other flounder.
Halibut Spawning
The fish reaches sexual maturity at 7-10 years. The main period when females bear maximum offspring lasts until the age of 14 years.
Spawning occurs over soft soil at a depth of 300-700 meters, sometimes up to a kilometer, as off the coast of Iceland. For eggs to ripen, a temperature of at least 2°C is required. As a rule, at such a depth the water does not warm up above 7°C even in summer.
One female can lay from one and a half to 3.5 million eggs. The embryos float in the water column for 2-3 weeks and gradually rise to the surface. Currents carry them to shallow waters.
The larvae hatch to undergo some metamorphosis like flounder. Initially symmetrical, they begin to grow faster on the left side. The left eye is on the right side, and the body takes on a flat shape. The fry grow by feeding on plankton and small sea creatures.
Halibut spawning occurs in winter and spring. Off the coast of Norway, observations of the white-faced species revealed a period from December to early April, in Iceland from February to April, in the Pacific waters of North America - from December to February.
The Asian species of arrowtooth halibut spawns in the Sea of Okhotsk from August to December, in the Bering Sea from November to February. After spawning, the fish goes deeper to feed heavily and build up lost mass.
Description
Appearance
This is one of the smallest representatives of halibut. This type of halibut, as a rule, grows in length to an average of 50-70 centimeters, and weighs from one to three kilograms. Sometimes larger individuals are found, with a body length of up to one meter and a mass of more than eight kilograms.
This fish is long-lived. So, she can live up to the age of 30 years. The body of the arrow-toothed halibut is elongated and covered with numerous scales. The jaws have arrow-shaped teeth. As a rule, the part of the body on which the eyes are located is brownish-grayish in color.
The arrowtooth halibut differs from its fellow halibuts by a characteristic feature: its upper eye, which does not extend to the upper edge of the head.
Habitat
This type of halibut can be found exclusively in the northern hemisphere, in the Pacific Ocean.
So, he lives:
- off the eastern coast of the islands of Japan,
- in the Sea of Japan,
- in the Sea of Okhotsk,
- off the coast of Kamchatka,
- in the Bering Sea,
- in the Barents Sea.
Reproduction
Halibut reaches sexual maturity at seven to nine years of age. As a rule, spawning of this fish is observed at depth in the Barents Sea, from November to February, or in the Sea of Okhotsk, from August to December, when the water reaches a temperature of two to ten degrees.
One female can lay from several hundred thousand eggs to three million. The eggs are pelagic, the larvae appear at a water temperature of plus six degrees and develop within two weeks.
Diet
The arrowtooth halibut is a typical predator. His diet includes fish and seafood, for example:
- pollock,
- shrimps,
- squid,
- euphrausids,
- octopuses.
In turn, other predators feed on the Asian arrow-toothed halibut, for example: seals and sea lions. Also, the young of this fish can become food for pollock, pollock, Pacific cod and other large fish, including flounder.
Features of behavior
Arrowtooth halibut is a schooling fish. It prefers to stay at the bottom, at a depth of 70 meters to 1.2 kilometers, and chooses a bottom with stones, silt, or sand as habitats. Typically, young halibut live in the water column, at a shallower depth than adults.
Representatives of this species do not migrate over long distances. In the cold season, halibuts swim to deeper places, and in spring and summer they stay at shallow depths.
Fishing
Arrowhead halibut, along with other representatives of flounder, is a valuable commercial fish. Bottom longlines are usually used to catch this fish. Amateur halibut hunting is also actively developed.
Halibut habitats
Halibut lives in the clear waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The fish is found in the part of the Atlantic Ocean from Northern California to Greenland and in the North Pacific Ocean.
Features of halibut habitats:
- Pacific halibut
inhabit the waters off Hokkaido and as far as the Bering Strait, and are also caught off Alaska and the west coast of Canada. It is found at depths of up to 1.2 km, but usually from 100 to 600 meters. Young animals up to 3-5 years old stay close to the shore; adults migrate closer to the coast in summer and go deeper in winter. - Atlantic halibut
lives along the eastern coast of Canada to Greenland and then partly in the Arctic Ocean - in the Barents Sea to the island of Novaya Zemlya. Adult specimens choose deeper places, up to 2 km, migrating according to the seasons. - The black halibut
adheres to the distribution area of the Pacific whitetail species and has also been found in the Chukchi Sea. Selects deeper waters up to 2 km. Adults can withstand temperature fluctuations from -1.5°C to +6°C. The young feed closer to the shore. - Asian arrowtooth halibut
are caught in the western Pacific Ocean from Honshu to the Gulf of Alaska. It occupies a depth of 300-700 m, but is also found at depths of more than a kilometer. - American arrowtooth halibut
is found in large numbers off the North American continent in the Pacific Ocean, but is also found in the Asian part. Prefers above-zero temperatures and depths of up to a kilometer.
The general habitat of all types of halibut is the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering, Barents, and Sea of Japan.
Mysterious halibut - arrowtooth halibut
American arrowtooth halibut (top) Atheresthes stomias
Coastal waters of South-Eastern Kamchatka, second half of the 1990s Photo author:
A. M. Orlov
Most marine fish living off the coast of Kamchatka are characterized by approximately equal sex ratios, although some flounders, gobies and ash grenadiers usually have two males -three times more than females, which, according to experts, significantly increases the efficiency of fertilization of spawned eggs. However, scientists today cannot unambiguously explain why the American arrow-toothed halibut in the Kamchatka waters is represented by almost only females.
Arrowtooth halibut - Asian and American - are widespread in the waters of the continental slope of the North Pacific Ocean. The first of them is found from the coast of Japan to the Vancouver-Oregon region. The distribution area of the second covers the waters of the American coast from California to the Aleutian ridge, the Bering Sea, as well as the Pacific waters of Kamchatka and the Northern Kuril Islands. In recent years, its discoveries have become more frequent in the Kamchatka waters of the Sea of Okhotsk south of 53° N. sh., which ichthyologists associate both with a general increase in the number of this species off the American coast, and with warming caused by El Niño in the second half of the 90s. The largest catches of Asian arrow-toothed halibut are observed in the Bering Sea, while it is found sporadically off Japan, Sakhalin and in the Gulf of Alaska. The abundance of American arrowtooth halibut naturally decreases from the Pacific coast of North America in a westerly direction and along the coast of Eastern Kamchatka. In the central and southeastern Bering Sea, both arrowtooth halibut are caught together in significant quantities.
Scientists have long established that both arrowtooth halibut have similar biology, with the exception of one interesting feature. In the waters of the Vancouver-Oregon region, British Columbia, the Gulf of Alaska and partly in the southeastern part of the Bering Sea, i.e. in areas where its maximum abundance is observed, American arrow-toothed halibut in catches is represented by both sexes and reproduces in the usual way, as well as most other fish. But in the central and western parts of the Bering Sea, as well as in the Pacific waters of Kamchatka and the Northern Kuril Islands, males of this halibut are either completely absent from the catches, or are found in such small quantities (1–3% of the total number of fish caught) that they are clearly not enough for fertilization of eggs laid by females. Moreover, this phenomenon is observed constantly. However, despite the “shortage” of males, the American arrow-toothed halibut still somehow reproduces in the Kamchatka waters, since in certain months the catches contain females ready for spawning with mature eggs.
To explain this unusual phenomenon, TINRO researcher, Doctor of Biological Sciences N.P. Novikov, back in the 60s, suggested that, by analogy with some freshwater fish (for example, silver carp), the reproduction of the American arrow-toothed halibut apparently occurs with the help of gynogenesis or false fertilization, when, instead of the absent males of a given species, the eggs spawned by the females are inseminated by the males of another closely related halibut - Asian, which spawns at approximately the same time and in a similar depth range. Since with this method of reproduction the eggs and sperm do not unite, only females appear in the offspring. According to N.P. Novikov, in this unusual way, the American arrow-toothed halibut supports the reproduction of its stock, adapting to unfavorable living conditions for it in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.
However, not all experts agreed with this assumption, since gynogenesis does not explain who then inseminates the eggs of the American arrowtooth halibut in the southeastern part of the Bering Sea, and even more so in the Gulf of Alaska, where there is also a rather significant shortage of its males, and the Asian arrowtooth halibut occurs in small quantities or singly.
Therefore, in the 90s, another assumption was made: the spawning of American arrow-toothed halibut off the Asian coast still occurs in a normal way, like all other fish, and the extremely small proportion of males in the western part of the Bering Sea and the Pacific waters of Kamchatka and the Northern Kuril Islands is due to for the following reasons. From spawning grounds, the thickness of which decreases from the American coast towards Kamchatka, the eggs and larvae of this halibut are carried by currents over long distances (the duration of their spread, according to experts, is several months), partially ending up in Eastern Kamchatka, the Northern Kuril Islands and even in the south. eastern part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Since male halibut mature two to three years earlier than females, they are the first to migrate toward their spawning grounds, thereby creating a significant female predominance.
Today, each of these two explanations for the unusual prevalence of female American arrowtooth halibut in the Pacific Northwest has its supporters and opponents, and therefore, obviously, only further research will allow us to establish the truth.
Author: A.M.Tokranov
Source: www.kamchatsky-krai.ru
Halibut lifestyle
Most of the halibut's lifestyle takes place in the benthic region. Body coloration has evolved over millions of years and makes a lying fish indistinguishable from natural terrain. The eyes are conveniently located on one side of the body. Their convexity helps to vigilantly observe swimming prey from under the bottom sediment.
Young animals eat mainly shellfish and shrimp. As they increase in size, they begin to hunt cuttlefish, octopuses, crustaceans and crabs. By 1-3 years they reach a size of 30 cm and begin hunting small fish and large crustaceans. With further growth, fish begins to predominate in the diet, and the share of other marine life decreases.
An adult halibut feeds on any bony fish that comes into view and can handle: cod, capelin, mackerel, hake, haddock, herring and flounder of all varieties.
Individuals hunt in ambush at the bottom or swimming above it. Halibut gives the deceptive impression of being a slow-moving fish. He does not chase prey, but allows him to approach him. Then he makes a quick dash. May immediately swallow or bite to paralyze the victim. In a jerk, the halibut develops enormous speed, turns sharply, and swims horizontally or vertically.
Ways to catch halibut
Flounder fish are harvested from June to October, giving halibut time to spawn and ripen eggs. For fishing in the open sea, gill nets, trawls, and bottom longlines are used.
In the coastal zone, halibut fishing occurs at a depth of 20-300 meters. These are not the largest specimens, but the probability of success is much higher. This type of fishing is practiced off the Kamchatka Peninsula, near the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. In northern Russia they are caught on the southwestern coast of the Barents Sea and off the coast of Norway. It should be taken into account that in places with a rocky bottom, halibut is found much less often. The fish prefers the proximity of shallow water with a flat bottom and depth, where schools of growing prey swim.
Fishing gear
Massive short rods with a strong handle and a persistent belt are used. The weight of the prey can be more than 20 kg, and sometimes fish weighing up to a hundredweight are caught. You will need a marine baitcasting reel with a cord length of at least 300 m, sinkers, and bait.
For convenience, a four-core cord is used, with sections of length painted in different colors for ease of measuring depth. A lead icicle is usually taken from the sinker, which passes between the stones without problems. Both silicone and small fish are suitable as bait. Halibut, as a rule, takes fish more readily because of the smell. The bait is attached to a jig head weighing 300-500 g.
Fishing
Three or four people go fishing for halibut. Most anglers fish vertically. On a boat they drift from shallow water towards deep water. Lures are lowered from one side to different heights. Halibut can be found in the water column, near the bottom or near the surface, but it is more likely to be found in the lower third of the depth.
Halibut is cautious, so it does not rush after prey, which swims in jerks. Movements should be made smoothly, lowering and then raising the bait and doing this at random.
What is the difference between halibut and flounder
Although these types of fish belong to the same family, let’s take a closer look at how halibut differs from flounder?
For halibut:
- elongated body, whereas that of flounder is almost round;
- the head is always directed to the right, and in flounder, depending on the species, variations are possible;
- the sizes are much larger, especially in the white-haired;
- the head is less asymmetrical;
- the lateral fins give the body a diamond shape;
- there is a thorn near the anus;
- there are one or two notches on the caudal fin;
- the habitat zone is to the north.
In addition to obvious external signs, halibut differs from flounder in taste. Its fillet is more fatty (more than 5%), tender in taste.
Halibut caviar
The product is prepared without removing the top film (layer). Externally, halibut caviar is similar to pike caviar, the same light beige with a crumbly structure. Characterized by a spicy smell and bitter taste. Sometimes they sell it painted black. Halibut caviar is not inferior to salmon caviar in taste and egg size, but costs much less. The product is rich in vitamins A, E, B, D, microelements, proteins, and is recommended for use after increased physical activity and recovery from illnesses.
Nutritional value of halibut
Halibut is not as bony as flounder, so the fillet can be easily separated from the head and fins. Cooked fish is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and is suitable for dietary nutrition.
The nutritional value of halibut lies in the fact that its regular inclusion in the menu will help in the fight against metabolic disorders, smooth out the syndromes of anemia, atherosclerosis, and reduce weight. There is 200 times more vitamin A in the liver fat of halibut than in cod. In addition to its high content of fat-soluble vitamins and microelements, halibut is simply delicious. It can be prepared in any way - boiled, fried, pickled or salted.
Composition and nutritional value of halibut meat
This fish is not very high in calories - 100 g of its meat contains 103-142 calories. The main part of the composition is occupied by proteins - 18.9 g, followed by fats - 3 g, and there are no carbohydrates.
Meat is extremely rich in vitamins and microelements. It contains:
- potassium, phosphorus and magnesium;
- selenium;
- calcium, iron, folic acid;
- vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6 and B12;
- vitamin A;
- vitamin D;
- vitamin E;
- vitamin PP - or nicotinic acid;
- Omega-3 fatty acids.
