The body of these fish is dark blue or black, with some large, dark blotches on the sides and a light underside, while the pelvic fins have blue ends. They have prominent stripes near each eye.
Habitat
Nearshore rocky reefs, to depths of 300 ft., with adults often found in kelp forests.
Diet
These fish are omnivores, often eating algae during the summer months. Prey includes jellyfishes, salps, krill, pelagic red crabs, and larvae and juveniles of many other fish species.
Life History
Blue rockfish can give birth twice in the breeding season. A 10 inch female will give birth to 50,000 larvae, while a 12.8 inch female can birth 300,000 larvae. Young spend the first several months of life floating in the water but then settle into nearshore rocky habitats, including kelp forests. Blue rockfish females live up to 41 years while males live up to 44 years. Both sexes can reach a maximum length of 20 inches.
IUCN Status
Not Evaluated
Ecosystem & Cultural Importance
Predators include other rockfish species (gopher, kelp, and olive), kelp greenlings, lingcod, pigeon guillemots, and California sea lions.
Blue rockfish are a schooling species, often seen alongside other fish species including kelp bass, olive rockfish, blacksmiths, and halfmoons.
In 2015, blue rockfish were split into two species, the blue rockfish and the deacon rockfish.
Citations & Other Resources
Frable, Benjamin W., et al. inchesA new species of Sebastes (Scorpaeniformes: Sebastidae) from the northeastern Pacific, with a redescription of the blue rockfish, S. mystinus (Jordan and Gilbert, 1881).inches Fishery Bulletin 113.4 (2015).
Laidig, Thomas E., Donald E. Pearson, and Lorraine L. Sinclair. inchesAge and growth of blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) from central and northern California.inches (2003).
Love, Milton S. Certainly more than you want to know about the fishes of the Pacific Coast: a postmodern experience. Really Big Press: Santa Barbara. 2011. 649 pp. ISBN 978-0-9628725-6-3.
We use cookies to improve your experience and see how our guests are navigating the website. If this is alright by you, hit 'Accept All', or 'Settings' to customize and learn more.
Read our cookie policy
