This species was described from specimens collected in the Black Sea, but was subsequently considered a synonym or subspecies of the European Flounder (Platichthys flesus). It has more recently been recognised as a valid species, endemic to the northeastern Mediterranean and Black Sea basins. However, it remains frequently referred to as a subspecies (Platichthys flesus luscus) in the literature.

This widely distributed, demersal species inhabits estuaries and nearshore marine waters. Juveniles utilize shallow, brackish habitats as nursery grounds. The estimated generation length is 8 years. It is taken by commercial fisheries throughout its range.

In general, the species has declined in the Black Sea since the 1960s due to fishing pressure and extensive pollution of the nearshore habitats it utilizes for feeding and nursery grounds. Quantified data on abundance trends are limited and no stock assessment has been conducted. In Ukrainian and Russian waters, the decline is not suspected to have exceeded 30%, but data remains limited. Declines have occurred in Ukraine due to estuary degradation, unfavourable environmental conditions and subsequent low recruitment success. In general, the species has declined in the Black Sea since the 1960s due to fishing pressure and extensive pollution of the nearshore habitats it utilises for feeding and nursery grounds. Major threats include overfishing, illegal fishing, and widespread pollution of Black Sea estuaries from industrial and domestic sources. Some fishing regulations are in place in Türkiye, but enforcement and additional conservation measures are needed to prevent decline. The protection of this and other fishery resources has improved in Russian waters of the Black Sea in the recent decade.

Data are not available to estimate a percent decline over a three generation length period (since about 1997); therefore, it is listed as Data Deficient.

This species is native to the northeastern Mediterranean Sea basin, including the Aegean Sea and Sea of Marmara, plus the Black Sea and Sea of ​​Azov. It has been introduced into the Aral and Caspian sea basins.

This species is common in Romanian, Russian and Turkish waters of the Black Sea. It is also common and abundant in the Tuzla lagoons and Shabolat estuary of Ukraine. In general, population trend data are limited and no stock assessment has been conducted (M. Cardinale pers. comm. 2020). Data are limited for the countries of Georgia and Bulgaria, but their share of the total demersal fisheries catch in the Black Sea is small compared to the other countries (Maximov and Zaharia 2010). This species is an important demersal fishery resource, but comprises a relatively small amount of the total demersal catches in Romania. Population data on the Aegean Sea subpopulation are limited. 

Data on the population size of this species in the northern half of the Black Sea (waters of Ukraine and Russia) are not available. The average annual catches in Ukraine and Russia are as follows: 1.94 tons in 1997-2004; 2.59 tons in 2005-2012; 1.68 tons in 2013-2019. The average annual catch in 2013-2019 compared with the previous 16-year period decreased by 25.8%. However, there is high uncertainty associated with assessing the stock status based on catch data as there was a slight downward trend in fishing effort during 1997 to 2019. Also, the catch data for Ukraine is incomplete for the years 2014 to 2017. The population is estimated to have declined, but not approaching 30% over the past three generations, or since about 1996 (V. Shlyakhov pers. comm. 2020).

Its abundance in the Tuzla lagoons of Ukraine can fluctuate widely from year to year. A large fish kill event in 1992 in the Shabolat estuary caused by pollution and changes in the salinity within the estuary contributed to a significant decline in abundance of this species and reduced recruitment success. Warming water temperatures in the estuary in recent years has caused a shift in spawning period (Shekk and Burgaz 2019, Burgaz 2019). 

In Türkiye, the population of this species has declined in the Black Sea in general since the 1960s due to fishing pressure and habitat degradation; however, data on abundance trends in the eastern Black Sea are limited (Güneş et al. 2012).

This demersal species occurs on soft bottoms in estuaries, bays, the lower reaches of rivers, brackish lakes and lagoons (Parin et al. 2014). It forages in fresh and brackish water (rivers, estuaries and bays) and migrates to full marine waters for spawning. Spawning occurs between 5 to 75 m depth (Parin et al. 2014). Juveniles utilize mud flats for nursery grounds. The maximum length is 40 cm (Burgaz 2019). Age at first maturity is about 2 years and it has been aged to at least 10 years (Güneş et al. 2012). Natural mortality is 0.18 (Güneş et al. 2011). When applying the following equation recommended by the IUCN Red List methods: 1/adult mortality + age of first reproduction, the generation length is estimated to be about 8 years.

Overfishing is a major threat in some parts of the species' range (Güneş et al. 2012). The estuarine habitats that this species inhabits, including the Tuzla lagoons and Shabolat estuary, are degraded due to coastal development, desalination/freshwater diversion and runoff pollution (Shekk 2015, Shekk and Burhaz 2019, Burgaz 2019). The Black Sea itself is highly polluted by both industrial and domestic sources (Keskin 2010). The Romanian Black Sea area has been highly impacted over the past 50 years by overfishing and pollution, but some improvements have occurred since the late 1990s. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) demersal fishing in Romanian waters by Turkish, Ukrainian and Russian fishers is a concern (Maximov and Zaharia 2010). IUU fishing has been reduced in the recent decade in Russian waters due to improved deterrence measures (V. Shlyakhov pers. comm. 2020).

This species is taken by commercial beach seine, gill net, beam trawl, otter trawl, and trammel net fisheries throughout its range (Güneş et al. 2011, Parin et al. 2014, Saygun and Bircan 2015). It is an important resource in the Shabolat estuary of Ukraine and Romania in the western Black Sea (Maximov and Zaharia 2010, Burgaz 2019). There has been some exploration of this species for use in the aquaculture industry of Türkiye and Ukraine (Shekk 2015, Baki and Baki 2016).

Some fishing regulations, including seasonal limits and gear restrictions, are in place for this species in the Turkish southeastern Black Sea, but the implementation of size limits and improvements in enforcement are needed (Şahin and Güneş 2010). Additional beneficial measures might also include the establishment of marine protected areas, addressing illegal fishing and encouraging regional-level cooperation (Keskin 2010). Since 2007, the protection of aquatic biological resources in Russian waters of the Black Sea has been increased by the coast guard of the Russian Federation. As a result, IUU fishing for demersal fish has been reduced. Since 2014, IUU levels off the Crimean Peninsula have also dropped significantly (V. Shlyakhov pers. comm. 2020).

This species occurs in the Tuzla Lagoons National Nature Park in Ukraine, which was designated in 2010 with the goal of restoration and to prevent further degradation. Commercial fishing is allowed, however (Shekk 2015).

Research is needed to clarify taxonomic confusion with Platichthys flesus and action should be directed towards improving population monitoring.