chilipepper rockfish
Sebastes goodei
Pink rockfish of the North Pacific, of deep reefs and sand and mud bottoms. It is sold fresh and frozen and is considered a sport fish.
Also called: garoupa-pimenta, rocote pimienta, chilipepper rockfish
- maximum
- 56 cm
- record/max.
- 1.5 kg
- depth
- 0–425 m
who is the chilipepper rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, slender-bodied with a projecting chin. It grows to 56 cm and up to 1.5 kg. Adults stay on deep rocky reefs and also on sand and mud bottoms, between 0 and 425 m. Juveniles are pelagic and live in shallower water. It also appears in brackish water. It feeds on krill, small squid and fish. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae. It is considered a sport fish.
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 chilipepper rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Pink to copper-red rockfish, paler underneath, with the lateral line in a bright red band and a darkened caudal fin. The chin projects forward and the body is slender. Compare it with the stripetail rockfish, which has dark saddle-shaped marks on the back and green streaks on the caudal fin.
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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 eastern Pacific, from Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia, Canada, to Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Deep rocky reefs and sand and mud bottoms, 0 to 425 m, with juveniles in shallower water and occurrence in brackish water.
rules for the chilipepper 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.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and frozen, and can be fried, boiled or baked.
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 goodei (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 goodeiNames by country and language.
