Common Sole (Solea Solea)

Biology and habitat

Species description
The common sole (Solea solea) is one of the largest species of flatfish, belonging to the family of Soleidae. 

Geographical distribution and habitat
Common sole (Solea solea) is found on sandy or muddy seabed in saltwater and brakish water. It is broadly distributed in the NE, the Eastern Central Atlantic, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Resource, exploitation and management

Stock and resource status/conservation measures
The minimum conservation size for sole is set at 24 cm in every fishing area, except in the Mediterranean Sea where the minimum size is 20 cm. Catches are managed through TACs and quotas.

Production methods and fishing gears
The main fishing gears used are bottom trawls, gillnets, and seines.

Source: Information system on commercial designations

Catches

Evolution of world catches  

• Common sole catches reached 19.351tonnes in 2023, i.e. 0,02% of the global catches. The majority of this is caught by the EU fleet (63% of the global catches), followed by the Moroccan (10%) and the British fleets (9%). During the last decade (2014-2023), sole catches have decreased by 47% at global level, related by the decrease in all the fleets targeting the species. 

Source: FAO

Evolution of EU catches

• In 2023, the EU catches of common sole reached over 12.000 tonnes. The EU catches have decreased by 52% during the last decades due to quota reductions. France, the Netherlands and Belgium were the main EU producer accounting for 27%, 26%, and 20% of EU volume in 2023. All EU fleets experienced strong decreases of their catches over the last decade (2014-2023): -57% for France, -64% for the Netherlands, and -34% for Belgium.

Source: FAO

Aquaculture production

Evolution of world production
There is no aquaculture production of common sole. Data on aquaculture below concerns other sole species.

• The world aquaculture production of sole increased by 138% in the last ten years (between 2014 and 2023), but remained marginal, reaching 2.201 tonnes in 2023. The EU was the main producer of sole, accounting for 82% of the global production, followed by Iceland (17%). Sole aquaculture consist almost exclusively of Senegalese sole (99% of the world production in 2023).

Source: FAO

Processing

There is no PRODCOM code referring to sole processed products. Additionally, common sole is mainly sold fresh. Some volumes are frozen but this represents a niche market as it targets the premium segment (only a few specialised retailers propose frozen sole).

Trade

• Combined nomenclature

EU trade of sole products (tonnes – 2024)
Data concerns common sole and other solea species

• Extra-EU imports reached 2.778 tonnes in 2024, of which 87% were fresh and 13% were frozen sole. In 2024, EU imports originated mostly from the United Kingdom (51% of the volume imported; 1.414 tonnes) and to a lesser extent from Iceland (21%) ad Mauritania (17%). The main importing countries within the EU in 2023 were France, the Netherlands, and Spain, which together imported 89% of the volume. 

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

• Extra-EU exports

In 2024, export volumes of sole totaled over 1.000 tonnes. The majority exports (59%) were frozen and 41% of were exported fresh. The Netherlands was the largest exporter within the EU, representing 55% of the exported volume, followed by Spain (33%). In 2024, the United States was the main destination market, representing 75% of EU exports.

Supply balance

EU supply balance (2023) – Tonnes of live weight equivalent – Common sole:

Source: FAO/ EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance is provided for the year 2023 (trade data for 2023 were taken into account). Detailed trade data provided in the slide 5 concern the year 2024. 
The conversion factors were used to convert net weight of imports and exports of fishery and aquaculture products into live weight equivalents.

Prices along the supply chain (EUR/kg)

Data concern Atlantic salmon and other species of salmon

First-Sale (fresh)
First-sale prices are provided for the main EU producers.

(*) From January to October 2025

Wholesale (fresh)
Wholesale prices are reported for Rungis (Paris, France) and Mercamadrid (Madrid, Spain).

(*) from January to October 2025

Retail/consumption
Retail prices refer to France and Spain.

(*) from January to October 2025

Data concerns common sole, and other solea species

Extra-EU import (whole)
EU imports from third countries concern fresh and frozen whole sole. Main importers were France, the Netherlands, and Spain in 2024.

(*) From January to September 2025

Extra-EU export (whole)
The Netherlands and Spain were the main EU exporter of sole to third countries. EU exports are composed of fresh and frozen whole soles.

(*) From January to September 2025

Marketing

National lists of commercial designations

Information system on commercial designations and scientific names in all EU languages

Applicable marketing for sole (Solea solea)

There is no name protected under Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for sole

Consumption

Common sole is not among the 15th most consumed species in the EU (source: The EU Fish Market – 2025 edition, EUMOFA)

Apparent consumption per capita of common sole in 2023: 0,03 kg live weight equivalent (source: Supply balance - 2023, EUMOFA)

Nutritional value (Sole, nutrition values per serving 100g)