yelloweye rockfish
Sebastes ruberrimus
Rockfish of rocky reefs of the North Pacific, reddish orange with a bright yellow eye. In Mexico, it occurs only in northern Baja California. It is considered a sport fish.
Also called: garoupa-olho-amarelo, rocote ojo amarillo, yelloweye rockfish
- maximum
- 104 cm
- record/max.
- 17.8 kg
- depth
- 15–549 m
who is the yelloweye rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, with a head bearing very strong spines. It grows to 104 cm and up to 17.8 kg. It lives between 15 and 549 m deep, on rocky reefs and boulder fields, from the Gulf of Alaska to northern Baja California. Adults stay on the reefs, and juveniles live in shallower water. It feeds on fish and crustaceans, and is viviparous. The species interests sport anglers, and its fillet is sold in markets.
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 yelloweye rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals 118 years old have been recorded.
identification
Rockfish of orange-red to yellow-orange colour, with a bright yellow eye and fins that may have black tips. Adults usually have a pale band along the lateral line, and juveniles have two pale bands, one over the lateral line and a shorter one below it. Compare it with the vermilion rockfish, which is dark red with greyish marbled sides, and with the mottled rockfish, which has four or five square white spots on the back.
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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
Occurs in the northeast Pacific, from the Gulf of Alaska to northern Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Rocky reefs and boulder fields, 15 to 549 m deep.
rules for the yelloweye 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 very strong spines on the head and fins, but is not venomous. As it lives deep, it suffers barotrauma if reeled up quickly; if you release it, do so carefully.
in the kitchen
It is sold as fillets in the market.
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 ruberrimus (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 ruberrimusNames by country and language.
