kelp rockfish
Sebastes atrovirens
Solitary, nocturnal fish of the kelp forests and shallow rocky bottoms of the Pacific, reaching 42 cm.
Also called: garoupa-das-algas, rocote de sargaso, rocote sargacero, kelp rockfish
- maximum
- 42 cm
- depth
- 9–12 m
who is the kelp rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes. It grows to 42 cm. It lives close to the bottom, in kelp forests and rocky areas, from 9 to 46 m, most of the time between 9 and 12 m. It is solitary, nocturnal and viviparous, with planktonic larvae. Its range runs from central California to central Baja California, Mexico. It appears in commercial fishing and in public aquariums.
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 kelp rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- There are reports of individuals up to 20 years old.
identification
Rockfish that lives close to the bottom, among kelp and rocks. It is solitary and nocturnal, and stays in a shallow band, almost always between 9 and 12 m, which sets it apart from deep-water rockfishes. Compare it with the copper rockfish, which also lives among rocks and kelp, but in shallow, sheltered bays.
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 central California to central Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Kelp forests and shallow rocky bottoms, 9 to 46 m.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It is a solitary, nocturnal fish that lives close to the bottom among kelp and rocks.
rules for the kelp 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.
No danger to anglers has been recorded. When hooked, remove the hook carefully and release the fish.
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 atrovirens (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 atrovirensNames by country and language.
