Commonly caught off the Washington coast by commercial harvesters using otter-trawls and longline gear.
Description and Range
Physical description
The darkblotched rockfish is a deep bodied fish. Under water, adults are white or pink with brown bars. After capture they are pink to orange with 3 to 5 dark bars on their back. The second anal fin spine is shorter than the third and there is a dark blotch on the gill cover.
Darkblotched rockfish can grow up to 58 cm (23 in) in length. Females are larger than males. Maximum age is at least 105 years old.
Geographic range
They range from the southeastern Bering Sea to Santa Catalina Island, California. They are found at water depths between 25 and 904 m (83-2,982 ft), but are most common between 140 and 210 m (462-693 ft).
Regulations
Rules and seasons
Recreational harvest within Puget Sound has been closed.