greenspotted rockfish
Sebastes chlorostictus
Soft-bottom rockfish of the North Pacific, which in Mexico occurs only in Baja California. It serves both commercial and sport fishing.
Also called: garoupa-verde, rocote verde, greenspotted rockfish
- maximum
- 50 cm
- record/max.
- 1.0 kg
- depth
- 49–201 m
who is the greenspotted rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living mainly on soft bottoms of the North Pacific, 49 to 201 m deep. It grows to 50 cm and up to 1 kg. It has a fusiform body, like other rockfishes of the genus, and spines on the head and fins. It is viviparous. Its range runs from the state of Washington, United States, to central Baja California. It is considered a sport fish and is also caught commercially.
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 greenspotted rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals aged 33 have been recorded.
identification
Spindle-shaped rockfish with spines on the head and fins, a common trait of the genus. The common name links the species to green spots on the body. Soft bottom between 49 and 201 m is the best clue to tell it apart from the spotted rockfish, which lives on rocky bottom. Because the depths overlap, bottom type helps most.
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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 the state of Washington, United States, to central Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Soft bottom, between 49 and 201 m deep.
rules for the greenspotted 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 strong 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 chlorostictus (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 chlorostictusNames by country and language.
