Bank Rockfish, Sebastes rufus

Bank Rockfish, Sebastes rufus, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Monica, California, August 2010. Length: 12.7 cm (5.0 inches). Catch, identification and photograph courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

Bank Rockfish, Sebastes rufus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Dana Point, California, April 2023. Length: 48 cm (19 inches) each. Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.

The Bank Rockfish, Sebastes rufus, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, also known as the Bank Perch, the Florida, and the Red Widow Rockfish and in Mexico as rocote rojo. 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 Bank Rockfish has an oval body with a depth that is 34% to 38% of standard length with older fish having deeper bodies than younger fish. They vary in color from various shades of brown to white, and are often covered with black spots. The anal, soft dorsal and pectoral fin membranes are black. Many individuals have white saddles on their backs. They have a pink-orange to orange stripe along the lateral line. Juveniles are pink or brassy with wide alternating dark and light bars and a clear lateral line. Their heads have small spines. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 8 or 9 rays; their caudal fin is lunate; their dorsal fin has 13 spines and 13 to 16 rays; and, their pectoral fins have 17 to 19 rays. They have 32 to 37 gill rakers. Their body is covered with scales.

The Bank Rockfish are found either as solitary individuals or in small groups at depths between 30 m (100 feet) and 454 m (1,500 feet), normally in close proximity to shelter. They reach a maximum of 55 cm (22 inches) in length, with females being larger than males. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.98 kg (4 lbs 6 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off San Clemente Island, California in February 1998. Each female will produce between 65,000 and 610,000 eggs. They mature slowly and have lifespans of eighty-five years. The Bank 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 Bank Rockfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific but has a limited range, being found from Guadalupe Island, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

The Bank Rockfish are similar in body shape and can be confused with the Speckled Rockfish, Sebastes ovalis (small dark brown and black spotting on their back and sides), and the Widow Rockfish, Sebastes entomelas (glassy gray-brown color).

From a conservation perspective the Bank Rockfish has not been formally evaluated. They are a strong component of the California commercial fishery with most fish taken via gill nets and trawls. They are also caught out of deep water by recreational anglers. They are considered an excellent food fish.