Top Hornyhead Turbot Fishing Countries

The hornyhead turbot (*Pleuronichthys verticalis*) is a small, right-eyed flatfish native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, primarily found along the coasts of California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico. This species inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms in shallow coastal waters and is recognized by its oval, flattened body and distinctive bony knobs on its head. The hornyhead turbot is not a major target for large-scale commercial fisheries due to its modest size and relatively low market demand; however, it is occasionally caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries targeting other bottom-dwelling species. The United States and Mexico are the primary countries where hornyhead turbot are harvested, mainly as incidental catch rather than through directed fisheries. While not a significant contributor to the global fishing industry, this species is part of the diverse assemblage of flatfish that support local fisheries and contribute to the ecological complexity of nearshore marine environments in the region.

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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.