Black rockfish • Sebastes melanops
{Sebastes = venerable; melas = black, ops = face}
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Left: black rockfish swimming amongst kelp. Photo by Tristan Blaine. Right: A black rockfish at top right, alongside a lingcod, a canary rockfish, and a quillback rockfish. Photo by Katie Davidson.
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Identification
The black rockfish has a black back mottled with grey, transitioning into grey sides with some black mottling and speckling. Its sides lighten into a whitish belly. Other identifying features include its large mouth, which extends to the back edge of each eye, and its robust, "bass-shaped" body. Juveniles may lack the adults' dark colouring: younger ones are can be orange to brown, and have a noticeable dark dorsal fin spot. Adults of this species can reach 69 cm long.
Habitat & Range
This species may be found in schools — often with other rockfish species — and individually on and around rocky reefs and among kelp. It may be found seeking shelter among rock crevices and boulders. The black rockfish is commonly found in shallow water, including the intertidal, but may be found as deep as 366 m. It is considered to be a pelagic species, but may also be found at the bottom and near the surface of open water, and may even break the surface when after prey. The range of the black rockfish extends from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska to southern California.
Similar Species
The dark dusky rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus) and the light dusky rockfish (Sebastes variabilis) are more uniform in colour: they lack the black back and whitish belly of the black rockfish. The Central Coast of BC is at the south of their ranges. Note that the black spot on the dorsal fin of juveniles is not a diagnostic feature of this species: it is a feature shared by juveniles of other species, such as the yellowtail rockfish (Sebastes flavidus).
Human Uses
This species is harvested commerically with other rockfish. They are also targeted by recreational fishers.
Concerns about rockfish population levels have led to the creation of Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) in inshore locations along the BC coast. See the Living Oceans Society map of RCAs and Fisheries and Oceans Canada for more information on these areas.
The black rockfish has a black back mottled with grey, transitioning into grey sides with some black mottling and speckling. Its sides lighten into a whitish belly. Other identifying features include its large mouth, which extends to the back edge of each eye, and its robust, "bass-shaped" body. Juveniles may lack the adults' dark colouring: younger ones are can be orange to brown, and have a noticeable dark dorsal fin spot. Adults of this species can reach 69 cm long.
Habitat & Range
This species may be found in schools — often with other rockfish species — and individually on and around rocky reefs and among kelp. It may be found seeking shelter among rock crevices and boulders. The black rockfish is commonly found in shallow water, including the intertidal, but may be found as deep as 366 m. It is considered to be a pelagic species, but may also be found at the bottom and near the surface of open water, and may even break the surface when after prey. The range of the black rockfish extends from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska to southern California.
Similar Species
The dark dusky rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus) and the light dusky rockfish (Sebastes variabilis) are more uniform in colour: they lack the black back and whitish belly of the black rockfish. The Central Coast of BC is at the south of their ranges. Note that the black spot on the dorsal fin of juveniles is not a diagnostic feature of this species: it is a feature shared by juveniles of other species, such as the yellowtail rockfish (Sebastes flavidus).
Human Uses
This species is harvested commerically with other rockfish. They are also targeted by recreational fishers.
Concerns about rockfish population levels have led to the creation of Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) in inshore locations along the BC coast. See the Living Oceans Society map of RCAs and Fisheries and Oceans Canada for more information on these areas.
References
Black Rockfish (Sebastes melonops) Species Profile. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. State of Alaska. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Froese, R. and Reyes, R.B. Sebastes melanops Girard, 1856 Black rockfish. FishBase. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Lamb, A. and Edgell, P. Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Revised. (2010). Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. Pp. 158-159.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Orr, J. W., Brown, M.A., and Baker, D.C. (1998). Black rockfish (Sebastes melanops). AFSC Guide to Rockfishes. Alaska Fisheries Science Centre. NOAA Fisheries. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell (2015).
Black Rockfish (Sebastes melonops) Species Profile. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. State of Alaska. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Froese, R. and Reyes, R.B. Sebastes melanops Girard, 1856 Black rockfish. FishBase. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Lamb, A. and Edgell, P. Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Revised. (2010). Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. Pp. 158-159.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Orr, J. W., Brown, M.A., and Baker, D.C. (1998). Black rockfish (Sebastes melanops). AFSC Guide to Rockfishes. Alaska Fisheries Science Centre. NOAA Fisheries. Accessed 08/12/2015.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell (2015).
