How to Describe Halibut? Halibut is the species of marine fish found mainly in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic waters. Halibut live on the seafloor and like temperatures between 3-8°c. They are gray-black on the top side with an off-white underbelly and have very small scales invisible to the naked eye embedded in their skin.
They are the largest of the flatfish and can grow to surprisingly large sizes, normally found at between 1-2m length. Some halibuts have been caught that are up to 4 metres long and weigh 300kg, that’s about the weight of three adults!
They have both eyes on one side of the body and lie on the seabed. At birth they have an eye on each side of the head, and swim like a salmon. After six months one eye migrates to the other side, making them look more like flounder. At the same time the stationary-eyed side darkens to match the top side, while the other side remains white. This color scheme disguises halibut from above (blending with the ocean floor) and from below (blending into the light from the sky) and is known as countershading.
In many ways halibut are unlike other flatfish, however. For example, they have rounder bodies and they often swim actively in the water, chasing other fish and squid, which they eat with their toothed jaws.
Halibut is an important food for people. Halibut is either sold fresh on ice, smoked or salted. Sometimes you can find it battered, but more often it is served grilled or fried. One half-filet (160 grams) of halibut can provide more than a third of your dietary needs for multiple vitamins and minerals, including selenium, niacin, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins B12 and B6.
Content for this question contributed by Andy Walker, resident of Reynoldsville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, USA
