In this part of the world no doubt everyone is familiar with the name, a few have had it off the menu in a restaurant but fewer still have seen one in the flesh, the halibut is an elusive fish when it comes to being caught in the Southwest Approaches.
Very occasionally, one seems to venture this far south and end up in a box on the market in Newlyn. This photo, which was taken several years ago by Newlyn fish market manager Lionel (whom we wish all the best while he continues to make good progress from his recent heart operation) shows a 6.8 kilo fish.
The halibut is the largest of all flatfish, the biggest of the flounder family - the a few monsters top well over 400lbs and grow to nearly 9 ft in length. Scottish boats fishing West and North trawl them in deeper waters.
They are a great eating fish, with big firm flakes that cut easily into steak-like portions. A guide to their rarity in the UK is that they don't even make it to the index of Floyd's classic Floyd on Fish book published in 1985!
