Blue Rockfish

Sebastes mystinus

Blue Rockfish

Sebastes mystinus

Other Common Names
Blue Sea Perch, Sea Bass, Priestfish

Rocky Coast, Orford Reef, Halibut Flats

Other Common Names

Blue Sea Perch, Sea Bass, Priestfish

At the Aquarium

Rocky Coast, Orford Reef, Halibut Flats

Appearance

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.

SE Alaska to northern Baja California, Mexico

This fish is a popular catch for recreational anglers in Oregon.

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.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan

Blue Rockfish

Blue Rockfish

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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