ECOLOGICAL DATA
Distribution: common inshore along rocky shores and over
shallow reefs throughout B.C. coast.
Habitat: rocky inshore reefs in shallow protected bays and inlets; adults tend
to be solitary and demersal; mate in autumn and fertilization is internal; larvae (5-6 mm)
are released in March and April, drift with currents; juveniles (2-5 cm) rear during
summer and fall in small groups to large schools, often in eelgrass (Zostera) and
kelp (Agarum and Laminaria); juveniles become more solitary and demersal
with age.
Tidal elevation: generally found above 25 m depth inshore.
Food: juveniles eat polychaetes and gammarid amphipods; adults take fish
(surfperch, herring, sand lance, anchovy, shiner seaperch) shrimp, euphausids, lingcod
eggs, and crabs.
Predators: fishes, such as lingcod and larger rockfish.
GROWTH RATE
Slow; maximum recorded size is 57 cm.
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FISHERY Minor component of commercial fishery; 1986 total rockfish commercial
catch was 18,781 t valued at $11.8 million; combined sportfish limit for rockfish and
sculpins is 8.
REFERENCES
Haldorson, L. and L.J. Richards. 1987. Post-larval copper
rockfish in the Strait of Georgia: habitat use, feeding and growth in the first year.
Proc. Int. Rockfish Symp., Oct. 1986, Anchorage. Alas. Sea Grant Rep. 87-2: 129-141.
Hart, J.L. 1973. Pacific fishes of Canada. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull 180: 407-408.
Hueckel, G.J., and R.M. Buckley. 1987. The influence of prey communities on fish
assemblages on artificial reefs in Puget Sound, Washington. Environ. Biol. Fish. 19:
195-214.
Lamb, A., and P. Edgell. 1986. Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Harbour
Publishing, Madeira Park, B.C.: 103.
Nagetagaal, D. 1985. Rockfish. Underwater World. Fish. Oceans Can., Ottawa: 5 p.
Richards, L.J. 1987. Copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) and quillback rockfish
(Sebastes maliger) habitat in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Can. J.
Zool. 65: 3188-3191.
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