Profile: Halibut
Appearance
Compared to other flatfish, the white halibut has a relatively narrow body and is right-sided. This means that when looking at the dark upper side, the head points to the right. The dorsal fin begins above the upper eye and the lateral line is strongly curved in the front third. The two-pointed and crescent-shaped caudal fin can be a deadly weapon; with one blow it can stun and even kill larger fish. The coloration of the upper side is adapted to the seabed. The underside is pure white, in older animals also with blotchy zones.
The white halibut is the giant among flatfish.
Lifestyle
The white halibut is a demersal fish that feels most at home on sandy or rocky bottoms up to 2,000 meters deep. There, the predator can adapt well to the substrate by means of a distinctive camouflage apparatus and lie in wait for its prey. It feeds on other fish such as cod, haddock and redfish as well as bottom-dwelling fish species such as rays, lingcod and even small sharks. In winter, when the halibut retreats to deeper waters, it feeds mainly on deep-sea shrimp.
Origin
The true home of the white halibut is the South Arctic cold-water areas with a high salt content. It lives in these subarctic areas from eastern Canada to Greenland, from Iceland to Murmansk, from Norway to the Bay of Biscay. Marking experiments have shown that individual animals often undertake very long migrations.
Worth knowing
In the 18th century, this flatfish was still known as the "holy butt" - the root word "Heil" in the name may have been preserved from that time. There is another explanation for the word "Heil" in this fish name. For example, the Scandinavian form of "Heil" means "bright" - so it could also be the name of a "bright butt", a fish with white scales.
Character of halibut meat
White halibut is a noble fish. Its meat is white and tender and is considered a delicacy. It is ideal for steaming and stewing.
Fresh halibut meat is highly prized by connoisseurs. It is particularly tasty in the fall and winter. Greenland halibut, with its slightly more sophisticated taste, is also becoming increasingly popular. It is now offered not only as smoked fish but also as fresh fish.
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