Brill

Identification

Brill closely resembles turbot but can be distinguished by its smooth body without bony tubercles. The body shape is more oval than the diamond-shaped turbot. The upper side is light brown to sandy with scattered dark and light spots. Eyes are on the left, like turbot. Brill reaches up to 75 cm, smaller than turbot, and rarely weighs more than 8 kg.

Behavior & ecology

Like turbot, brill is a bottom predator that buries itself in sand to ambush prey. It hunts small fish, shrimp, and bristle worms. Brill lives on shallower grounds than turbot, often at 10 to 40 meters depth on sandy and muddy bottoms. Young brill occur close to shore and move to deeper water as they grow.

Fishing techniques

Brill is caught with the same techniques as turbot:

• Bottom fishing with baitfish: Small fish or fish strips on a bottom rig, close to sandy bottoms.
• Surf fishing: Brill is caught from shore more often than turbot due to its shallower habitat.
• Drifting: Slow drifting with baitfish over sandy grounds.

In the Netherlands

Brill occurs in the same waters as turbot but is less rare. The flesh is good but valued less highly than turbot culinarily. Catches occur during boat fishing on the North Sea and occasionally during surf fishing along the coast. Brill is caught year-round, with the best chances in summer.