Gopher Rockfish

Sebastes carnatus

Gopher Rockfish

Sebastes carnatus

Other Common Names
Gopher cod, butterball, spotted rock bass

Halibut Flats

Other Common Names

Gopher cod, butterball, spotted rock bass

At the Aquarium

Halibut Flats

Appearance

Gopher rockfish are olive brown to reddish brown, mottled with pale areas of white to pink. The lower lip is orange.

They have strong spines above the nostrils and eyes. The anal fin is rounded.

Gopher rockfish can grow to 17 inches in length.

Habitat

Rocky reefs and kelp canopy from the intertidal zone to 282 feet.

Diet

Crustaceans, fish and mollusks.

Life History

Like other rockfish species, the gopher rockfish is primitively viviparous. Fertilization of eggs and embryo development occur internally. The female then gives birth to live larval fish. Off central California, spawning takes place between January and July, with peak spawning between February and March.

Larval gopher rockfish drift with the currents until they are nearly an inch long. The larvae take refuge in upper kelp canopies. As they grow, they move deeper into rocky bottom habitats.

Gopher rockfish shelter in holes and crevices during the day time. They leave their shelter at dusk to forage.

Gopher rockfish can live as long as 35 years.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Gopher rockfish are prey for many species, including other finfish, seabirds, and marine mammals.

Gopher rockfish are caught in both recreational and commercial fisheries. Gopher rockfish comprise 50% of the estimated shallow nearshore recreational rockfish catch in California. Gopher rockfish are managed under the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and the California Nearshore Fishery Management Plan.

From Cape Blanco, Oregon to central Baja California, Mexico.

Found in rocky areas south of Cape Blanco, Oregon.

Like other rockfish, gopher rockfish have venomous fin spines that deter predators.

Citations & Other Resources

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. N.d. Gopher Rockfish. Marine Species Portal. https://marinespecies.wildlife.ca.gov/gopher-rockfish/false/
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildfish. N.d. Gopher Rockfish (Sebastes carnatus). Marine Resources Program. https://nrimp.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/default.aspx?p=113
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2022. Creature Feature: Gopher Rockfish. Marine Management News. https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2022/05/03/creature-feature-gopher-rockfish/
Meyers-Cherry, Natasha L. et al. 2016. Gopher Rockfish (Sebastes Carnatus) Life History In South-Central California. 57

Gopher Rockfish

Gopher Rockfish

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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