Continental shelf and upper slope of the south coast of Australia from the western edge of Bass Strait to southern Western Australia. Demersal on soft bottoms at depths of 70-490 m. Taken exclusively by commercial trawlers operating in offshore waters where it is the dominant flathead species in the Great Australian Bight (CSIROab).

The biological stock structure of Deepwater Flathead is unknown; however, it is considered a single biological stock in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery for management purposes. Hence, stock status is reported at the level of the individual biological stock. Stock assessments for Deepwater Flathead have been completed only for the Great Australian Bight part of the biological stock1. Because the Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector (Commonwealth) accounts for the majority of catch taken from this biological stock, the stock status for the entire biological stock is based on assessments and catch from this area (Moore and Curtotti 2014).