Halibut live at depths ranging from a few meters to hundreds, and although they spend most of their time near the bottom, halibut may move up in the water column to feed.

In most ecosystems, the halibut is near the top of the marine food chain.

The fisheries were managed through a treaty between the United States and Canada per recommendations of the International Pacific Halibut Commission, formed in 1923.

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.