canary rockfish
Sebastes pinniger
Yellow or orange rockfish of the North Pacific, with three orange bands on the head. It has venomous spines, and its flesh is sold as fillets.
Also called: garoupa-canário, rocote canario, canary rockfish
- maximum
- 76 cm
- record/max.
- 4.5 kg
- depth
- 90–270 m
who is the canary rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, which lives in loose groups above rocky bottoms, usually between 90 and 270 m, but can go down to 838 m. It grows to 76 cm and up to 4.5 kg. Juveniles are pelagic and stay in shallower waters. It feeds on small fish and krill. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae. The species is considered a sport fish. Its range runs from the southern Shelikof Strait, in the Gulf of Alaska, to Cape Colnett, Baja California.
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 canary rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals 84 years old have been recorded.
identification
Yellow-orange to orange rockfish with a body mottled with grey. It has three orange bands crossing the head and orange fins. In specimens under 35.5 cm there are dark marks on the back of the spiny dorsal fin, and a grey band runs along the lateral line. The caudal fin is deeply notched. Compare it with the mottled rockfish, which has four or five white spots on the back, and with the bigmouth rockfish, which has a long jaw and olive-orange colour.
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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 northeast Pacific, from the southern Shelikof Strait, in the Gulf of Alaska, to Cape Colnett, Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Over rocky bottoms, in loose groups, usually between 90 and 270 m, with juveniles in shallower water.
rules for the canary 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 has venomous spines, so hold it with a cloth or glove and remove the hook carefully. As it lives at depth, it suffers barotrauma if reeled up quickly; release it carefully.
in the kitchen
The flesh is of good quality and is sold as fillets.
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 pinniger (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 pinnigerNames by country and language.
