English
Scientific name: Solea solea
Sole is a fish belonging to the Soleidae family. The evolution of the species has made the sole assume the characteristic lying position in which both eyes are on the upper side.
Characteristics
Sole is a completely flat fish with an oval body. It has a small head and a soft, round shaped snout. The ocular side is greyish brown with random dark and light spots, more or less noticeable which make it well camouflaged. The underside colour tone is almost white. The sole populating the Mediterranean does not exceed 40 cm in length and by law can be fished and marketed only if it exceeds 20 cm (Reg. EC 1967/2006).
Habitat
This species is common in the Mediterranean Sea and lives on sandy or muddy bottoms from the surface up to a depth of about 200 m. It is also found in brackish waters.
The only way to catch sole is to use large trawl nets. The sole found on Italian tables is fished mainly inside national seas and in particular in the Adriatic as well as in the waters surrounding Sicily.
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