As one of the most sought-after flatfish, sole maintains healthy market prices.
Fished in global waters throughout the year, sole is most often captured in Spanish waters during early spring but is most abundant in the colder months of October and November. Melody Cortés, executive director at Casa Cortés Fish & Seafood Auctioneers in the Galician port of La Coruña said: “In winter, large shoals of sole come to our shores because of the abundant nutrients and cold waters, this is when their numbers are at their greatest.”
Described as common, lemon or Dover sole (lenguado común in Spanish; Solea solea and Solea vulgaris), its various names leave it open to mislabeling. Species such as Adriatic sole (Solea impar), Klein sole (Solea kleini), sand sole (Solea lascaris) and Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) are among the most frequently imitated, leading European Commission scientists to use innovative molecular technologies such as DNA analysis to improve traceability in the battle against illegal fishing and sole fraud to stop low-cost catfish fillets being sold as expensive sole fillets.
To safeguard sole stocks, the EC passed a regulation on 24 July 2012 prohibiting Spanish vessels from common sole fishing in two FAO zones while Spain’s Secretary General for Fisheries maintained the national fleet’s sole fishery quota at the same 403 metric tons (MT) as last year, although the EC proposed reducing it by 15 percent.
Having met its multi-annual stock recovery plan for Bay of Biscay sole in 2011 — the region covering Atlantic Iberian waters — the EC concluded that landings of 9,300 MT in 2015 put fishing at “a very low risk.” However, for 2013, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advises Bay of Biscay sole landings should be no more than 3,500 MT. The EC maintained its multi-annual stock recovery plan for Western Channel sole — the region of the Celtic Sea and West of Scotland — with the ICES advising that landings in 2013 should be less than 960 MT. The ICES also advises that North Sea sole landings in 2013 should be no more than 14,000 MT.
Based on figures from Mercasa, the network of 23 nationwide fresh fish markets, Spain’s fisheries ministry revealed that between January and June, 19,182 kilograms of sole were consumed, valued at EUR 170,797 (USD 222,475), sold at an average EUR 8.91 per kilogram (USD 11.60) with spend per capita at EUR 3.68 (USD 4.79) representing 0.41 kilograms per capita.
As the first port of call for Galician fish buyers, Casa Cortés auctioneers deal principally in fresh Solea vulgaris and Solea solea, selling approximately 600-800 kg of each per month. Their sales of sand sole reach 50-70 kg per month.
Between January and April, price ranges reflect quality and availability at between EUR 10 to 16 (USD 13 to 21) per kg. Between May and July, scarcity results in price rises to between EUR 18 to 25 (USD 23.50 to 32.70) per kg.
During September to November, due to the end of the summer season, prices fall again to EUR 12 to 20 (USD 15 to 26) per kg, while in December high Christmas demand raises prices back up to EUR 18 to 30 (USD 23.50 to 39) per kg. The average price for the year is around EUR 14 to 20 (USD 18 to 26) on an annual volume of 6,000 to 7,000 kg.
On 7 September, prices for frozen sole across four key Spanish markets — Mercamadrid, Mercabarna (Barcelona), Mercabilbao and Mercavalencia — stood at: EUR 6.31 (USD 8.23), EUR 7.50 (USD 9.78), EUR 5.40 (USD 7.04) and EUR 8 (USD 10.43), respectively.
In West Africa, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is working with Gambian authorities, the World Wildlife Fund and Gambia’s main sole exporter to develop a co-management plan for the sole fishery with the aim of opening new markets, particularly in Europe. German retailer Kaufland is committed to promoting Gambian sole in its outlets through a customer-led campaign, and, staying in Europe, Denmark successfully gained MSC certification for its North Sea sole in June this year.
After a shaky start to Spain’s sole aquaculture development, Alicia García Alcázar, researcher at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography in Murcia, says, “Sole is easy to reproduce. Sole marine farming is soon coming to market.”
