Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus
Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. Fish courtesy of the commercial fishermen of the greater San Diego area, San Diego, California, December 2014. Length: 23 cm (9.0 inches).
Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Tijuana, Baja California, February, 2023.. Length: 24 cm (9.4 inches). Catch, identification and photograph courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Rosa Island, California, August 2019. Length: 30 cm (12 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Kenneth Tse, Toronto, Canada.
Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. Fish caught off the Gordo II Bank with the Gordo Banks Pangas fleet, Puerto Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, October 2022. Length: 33 cm (13 inches). I believe this to be a significant range extension for this species.
Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus. Fish courtesy of the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, June 2008. Length: 39 cm (15 inches). This collection documents a significant range extension for this species.
e Starry Rockfish, Sebastes constellatus, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, that is known in Mexico as rocote estrellado. Globally, there are one hundred eight species in the genus Sebastes, of which fifty-three are found in Mexican waters, all in the Pacific Ocean.
The Starry Rockfish has a robust oblong-shaped narrow body with a depth that is 27% to 31% of standard length. They have an orange-red coloration that is darker dorsally especially in mature adults. They have 5 or 6 large white blotches on their upper sides and are sprinkled profusely with small white spots. Their head is more rounded than any of the other Rockfish with white blotches. All their fins are a uniform color, which is identical to the orange-red of the body. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 5 to 7 rays; their caudal fin is rounded; their dorsal fin has 13 or 14 spines and 12 to 14 rays; and, their pectoral fins have 16 to 18 rays. They have 25 to 30 gill rakers and their body is covered with scales.
The Starry Rockfish is a non-migratory sedentary bottom dweller that reside in the same area throughout their lifespan. They are found within boulder fields, high-relief rocks, and over cobblestone bottoms at depths between 24 m (80 feet) and 274 m (900 feet). They reach a maximum length of 46 cm (18 inches) with females being slightly larger than males. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.3 kg (2 lbs 14 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off San Diego, California in March 2016. They feed on fish, krill, octopus, and a variety of other small marine organisms. Females each produce up to 225,000 eggs annually. They have lifespans of up to thirty-two years. The Starry Rockfish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Starry Rockfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited range being found along the west coast of Baja from coastal waters off Migriño, Baja California Sur, 15 miles north-northwest of Cabo San Lucas based on a fish caught by my good friend Chris Wheaton, in March 2021, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja. The fish photographed above that I caught in October 2022 represents the presence of this species in the Sea of Cortez.
The Starry Rockfish is the easiest Rockfish to identify due to the numerous small white dots covering its body, thus it cannot be confused with any other species.
From a conservation perspective the Starry Rockfish has not been formally evaluated. They are considered an important recreational game fish in central and southern California coastal waters. They are also caught by commercial fishermen with gill nets and by hook and line. They are sold fresh in several Southern California ethnic markets.