They live off the Atlantic coast of Europe: in the North Sea, in the Irish Sea, around Iceland and around the southern tip of Greenland. They are also found in the western Mediterranean.
They will 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 cm) long, though occasionally up to 37 inches (95 cm) long.
They eat small warms, shrimp, small crustaceans and mollusks, feeding during the day.
Females grow in size faster than males, and live longer than males, up to 50 years. Males start reproducing when they are between 2 and 6 years; females 3 and 7 years.
Their eggs, which hatch in about three weeks, float at first, and sink as they get closer to hatching.
Place start off looking like a normal fish. Then, when they are about forty days old, their left eye migrates to the right side of the fish, and the fish starts to swim tilting to the left until the left side becomes its bottom, and the right side, its top. It then starts to live at the bottom of shallow water near the shore, moving to deeper water as it gets older.
Plaice has mild, sweet-tasting, finely-textured flesh that is good for grilling, frying or poaching.
It is sold whole or filleted, fresh or frozen, and is often sold as a choice of fish at fish and chip shops in England.