Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops

Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops, Juvenile. Fish caught from within Monterey Bay, Monterey, California, April 2022. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches) each. Catch, photographs, and identifications courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.

Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Brookings, Oregon,  December 2020. Length: 23 cm (9.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops. Fish caught from coastal waters off Bandon, Oregon,  January 2016. Length: 23 cm (9.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops. Fish caught from coastal waters off Sitka, Alaska, September 2015. Length: 33 cm (13 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California. Fish identification reconfirmed by Milton Love, University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, California.

Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Cruz, California, July 2016. Length: 33 cm (13 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Andrew Hansen, Santa Cruz, California.

The Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, and is known in Mexico as rocote negro. 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 Black Rockfish has a streamlined body that taper toward both ends with a body depth that is 28% to 32% of standard length and reaches maximum depth under the dorsal fins. They are bluish-black with dark specks, a white belly, and white to gray blotches between their dorsal fin and their lateral line. They have a disproportionately large sloping head, large eyes, and a large terminal mouth. Their lateral line is often uneven and has a thick white or gray stripe. They do not have the symphyseal knob that is present in several other Rockfish. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 7 to 10 rays; their caudal fin is slightly lunate; and, their dorsal fin has 13 or 14 spines and 13 to 16 rays. They have 32 to 40 gill rakers and their body is covered with scales.

The Black Rockfish is a mobile, often schooling, species that is found from the surface to depths up to 366 m (1,200 feet). Juveniles are found in-shore near rocky areas. Adults are found over high-relief rocky outcroppings. They reach a maximum of 69 cm (2 feet 3 inches) in length and 5.0 kg (11 lbs 0 oz) in weight. They are normally found mixed in with Blue Rockfish. They are opportunistic predators that feed on small fish and zooplankton. Reproduction is oviparous with each female releasing between 125,000 and 1,200,000 pelagic eggs. They have a lifespan of up to 50 years.

The Black Rockfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific but has a very limited distribution being found on rare occasions from Ensenada, Baja California, northward along the extreme northwest coast of Baja.

The Black Rockfish is similar to a series of other Rockfish including the 2 species of Blue Rockfish (Blue-Blotched and Blue-Sided), Sebastes mystinus (bluish color; short mouth; no dorsal blotches), the Dark Rockfish, Sebastes ciliatus (uniform bluish-black to gray color; prominent symphyseal knob), and the Dusky Rockfish, Sebastes variabilis (greenish-brown color; no speckles or blotches; prominent symphyseal knob).

From a conservation perspective the Black Rockfish has not been formally evaluated. Historically they have been an important commercial catch in the Pacific Northwest with fish caught primarily by hook and line. They are not accessible via trawls due to their habitat. They are also an important recreational catch in the coastal waters of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. They are a strong component of the live fishery being sold in west coast Asian markets. Overall their populations are poorly documented but are thought to be in general decline, thus catch restrictions have recently started to be implemented.