European plaice are active mainly at night, when they feed on molluscs and polychaete worms (2), which are crushed with the strong jaws (4). During the day they tend to lie hidden, often partially buried in the sediment (5). Newly hatched larvae spend around 6 weeks close to the surface of the water before undergoing the transformation into adults (3). In the first year of life, juvenile plaice tend to live in shallow water and can often be found close to beaches (5).