Sebastes mystinus
by Ariana Wilson
As a west coast diver for over two years, the rockfish is one of the most prolific fish I’ve observed, from Washington State to Southern California. Blue rockfish can be seen as far North as the Bering Sea, West of Alaska and as far south as Punta Baja, Baja California, Mexico.
The blue rockfish, or blue seaperch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish that live in shallow rocky habitats and reefs, feeding and, for some species, enjoying a lifelong game of hide-and-seek. Their life expectancy can reach up to a quarter of a century. Rockfish are primitively viviparous, meaning fertilization occurs internally, followed by a live birth of larval fish.
Blue rockfish spawn from late fall to early spring. As common and abundant as these species are, they are the prey to many other fish, seabirds, marine mammals and humans for recreational and commercial fishing. Fishing for blue rockfish is permitted statewide in California, not including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); closures may also be applicable by depth and time of year.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, Oregon, Washington State and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) to oversee the sustainability of groundfish fisheries. Over 90 species of seafloor-dwelling finfish are included in a management plan implemented by the PFMC in 1982.
Blue rockfish are also managed under a state-specific plan called the California Nearshore Fishery Management Plan (NFMP), mandated by the Marine Life Management Act in 1998. 19 finfish species are included in the NFMP and 16 overlap in the GFMP.
The California Nearshore Fishery Management Plan provides science-based strategies for long-term sustainability through implementing specific fishing efforts, allotting harvest between commercial and recreational harvest and protecting habitats through MPAs.
Ari is a senior journalism major and the science editor this semester with an adoration for the environment and conservation. She is currently pursuing her scientific diving certification and plans to meld her journalistic passions with scientific research in the future. For any science inquiries, please contact ajw167@humboldt.edu.
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