Investigating spatial heterogeneity of von Bertalanffy growth parameters to inform the stock structuration of common sole, Solea solea, in the Eastern English Channel

•Von Bertalanffy growth parameters are used to inform the spatial structuration of an exploited species.•Spatial differences in asymptotic length reinforce the metapopulation hypothesis.•Growth parameters estimates differ depending on the type of data used - scientific survey or commercial fisheries.