Sebastes paucispinis

Adults found over rocky reefs, but also common on open bottoms to about 320 m (Ref. 2850). Juveniles are pelagic and settle in near shore nursery areas, then move to deeper habitats (Ref. 36715). Young form schools (Ref. 2850). Feed mainly on fishes, including other rockfishes (Ref. 2850). Ovoviviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36715, 6885, 34817). Validated age by radiometry is 37 yrs (Ref. 75794). A famous sport fish throughout its range (Ref. 2850). Flesh is of excellent quality when kept chilled (Ref. 27436). Sold with other rockfish species (Ref. 27436).

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: Coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska to Baja California.

Eastern Pacific: Stepovak Bay, Alaskan Peninsula to Punta Blanca, Baja California, Mexico.

Eastern North Pacific.

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 26

Maximum size: 910 mm TL

91.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850)); max. published weight: 9,630 g (Ref. 4690); max. reported age: 50 years (Ref. 75794)

A large rockfish with weak head spines - nasal and parietal spines usually absent, preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic, coronal and nuchal spines absent (Ref. 27437). Lower jaw long, thickened, with no real symphyseal knob and projects past upper jaw; maxillary extends to behind the eye; parietal ridges parallel (Ref. 27437). Caudal slightly indented (Ref. 6885). Olive orange to burnt orange or brown in color (Ref. 27437). Branchiostegal rays: 7 (Ref. 36715).

Known from seamounts and knolls

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Marine

Habitat Type: Marine

Comments: Adults often occur in rocky areas, at depths of 12-481 m (most abundant at 50-251 m); larvae and small juveniles are pelagic and commonly occur in the upper 90 m of the water column; juveniles sometimes form dense schools under drifting kelp mats (NMFS 2002).

reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 476 m (Ref. 27437)

Depth range based on 315 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 154 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 3.66 - 406.26
  Temperature range (°C): 6.155 - 8.018
  Nitrate (umol/L): 11.539 - 32.802
  Salinity (PPS): 32.340 - 33.945
  Oxygen (ml/l): 2.388 - 6.547
  Phosphate (umol/l): 1.297 - 2.595
  Silicate (umol/l): 19.241 - 53.307

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 3.66 - 406.26

Temperature range (°C): 6.155 - 8.018

Nitrate (umol/L): 11.539 - 32.802

Salinity (PPS): 32.340 - 33.945

Oxygen (ml/l): 2.388 - 6.547

Phosphate (umol/l): 1.297 - 2.595

Silicate (umol/l): 19.241 - 53.307
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 0 - 476m.
Recorded at 476 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated. Adults occur over rocky reefs but also common on open bottom from 27-320 m depth. Young live in shallower water. Young form schools and are caught more frequently, especially in rocky areas. Feeds mainly on fishes, including other rockfishes. Ovoviviparous, may produce as much as 2,300,000 young in a batch (Ref. 6885). A famous sport fish throughout its range. Its spines are venomous.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Eaten by marine mammals; juveniles sometimes are important in the diets of sea birds (NMFS 2002).

Ovoviviparous (Ref. 6885, 37177).

Maximum longevity: 50 years (wild) Observations: Some estimates suggest these animals may live up to 36-50 years (Cailliet et al. 2001).

Copulates generally in late summer and early fall; females bear live young in winter; off California, some females produce multiple broods in one season; juveniles grow rapidly but take 5 years to mature; may live up to 40 years; mean generation time is 12 years (see NMFS 2002). Large old fish may contribute most importantly to reproductive success (Garrison 2002).

Genomic DNA is available from 2 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at British Antarctic Survey

Year Assessed

• Needs updating

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N2 - Imperiled

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Global Long Term Trend: Decline of >90%

Comments: Recruitment is highly variable, has exceeded losses of adults in only 26 percent of years; no large recruitments have occurred since 1978; as a result, abundance fluctuates greatly (NMFS 2002). Since 1969, there has been a gradual decline in abundance to the current level of 3.6 percent of estimated unfished abundance (NMFS 2002).

On the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, abundance apparently declined by over 95% in the past 20-30 years and 90% in the past 10 years; the trend is uncertain elsewhere in British Columbia waters (Stanley et al. 2002). The trend since 1995 has been relatively stable (Stanley et al. 2002).

Comments: Evidently has declined primarily as a result of overutilization by fisheries targeting bocaccio and as bycatch in other fisheries (NMFS 2002). NMFS (2002) summarized recent fishery management aimed at reducing this threat and allowing the stock to recover.

Habitat likely has been degraded by commercial trawling, but this type of trawling has now been excluded from primary bocaccio habitat (NMFS 2002).

Protracted, warm ocean conditions in the 1990s were associated with poor recruitment and undoubtedly contributed to the decline in abundance (NMFS 2002).

Critically Endangered (CR) (A1abd+2d)

Comments: This species has been an important component of commercial and recreational catches off California for several decades (NMFS 2002).

fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums; price category: low; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species