blue rockfish
Sebastes mystinus
Blue or black rockfish of the North Pacific, which forms schools near reefs and kelp. It feeds mainly on krill and is considered a sport fish.
Also called: garoupa-azul, rocote azul, blue rockfish
- maximum
- 61 cm
- record/max.
- 3.8 kg
- depth
- 183–550 m
who is the blue rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living near reefs and kelp, and sometimes near the surface. It grows to 61 cm and up to 3.8 kg. It forms schools, sometimes together with other rockfishes. It feeds mainly on krill, but also on tunicates, jellyfish and fish. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae. Juveniles are an important prey of fish and other marine vertebrates. The species is considered a sport fish, and its depth range is 0 to 550 m, most often between 183 and 550 m.
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 blue rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals 44 years old have been recorded.
identification
Blue or black rockfish, with faint stripes on the forehead and a paler lower part. It has a deep body, large pectoral fins, small mouth and eyes, and the anal fin is vertical or sloping backward. The caudal fin is notched. Compare it with the widow rockfish, which also forms schools but is brownish gold, and with the shortbelly rockfish, which is smaller and greenish pink.
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
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from Vancouver Island, Canada, to northern Baja California, Mexico, with an uncertain northern limit. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Shallow reefs, kelp and deep reefs, 0 to 550 m, most often between 183 and 550 m.
rules for the blue rockfish
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.
It is not venomous, but it has spines. As it lives at depth, it suffers barotrauma if reeled up quickly; release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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: Sebastes mystinus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sebastes mystinusNames by country and language.
