sablefish
Anoplopoma fimbria
Very deep-water fish of the northern Pacific, reaching 1.2 m and heavily fished by industry. In Mexico it appears only in Baja California.
Also called: bacalhau-negro, bacalao negro, sablefish
- maximum
- 120 cm
- depth
- 175–1,450 m
who is the sablefish
Fish of the family Anoplopomatidae, with an elongated body and two widely separated dorsal fins. It reaches 120 cm, and the common size is 80 cm. It lives on mud bottoms, usually between 175 and 1,450 m, in the northern Pacific, from the Bering Sea to Japan and Baja California. Adults stay on the bottom, while juveniles are pelagic, near the surface and the coast. It eats crustaceans, worms and small fish. It is very commercial, and the flesh is sold fresh, dried, salted or smoked. It is also considered a sport fish, but in deep water.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the sablefish.
fun facts
- Some juveniles migrate more than 3,200 km in 6 or 7 years.
- The liver oil is rich in vitamins A and D.
identification
Two widely separated dorsal fins: the second is similar in size and shape to the anal fin and sits opposite it. Elongated body with an oval cross-section. A large bottom fish, reaching 1.2 m. It lives on mud bottoms, usually at 175 to 1,450 m, and the common size is 80 cm. Juveniles are pelagic and stay near the surface.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it has only been recorded in Baja California, Mexico. The species lives in the northern Pacific, from the Bering Sea to Japan.
Habitat: Mud bottoms in deep water, usually between 175 and 1,450 m.
rules for the sablefish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Deep-bottom fish: if it comes from great depth, its swim bladder can swell on rapid ascent, causing barotrauma. Release it with care.
in the kitchen
Eaten fresh, dried, salted or smoked, and most of the catch goes to Japan.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01096, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Anoplopoma fimbria (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Anoplopoma fimbriaNames by country and language.