Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus
Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off Brookings, Oregon, January 2016. Length: 26 cm (10 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Half Moon Bay, California, September 2023. Length: 36 cm (21 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.
Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus. Both fish caught from coastal waters off Sitka, Alaska, August 2014. Lengths: 54 cm (21 inches). Catches, photographs and identifications courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California. Identifications reconfirmed by Milton Love, University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, California.
The Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, and known in Mexico as rocote cola amarilla. 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 Yellowtail Rockfish has a narrow body with a depth that is 31% to 35% of standard length. They have reduced head spines compared to other rockfish. They have a dark brown to greenish brown coloration on their back above the lateral line and are brown and tan with yellow tinges below the lateral line. Some fish are melatin – very dark. Their scales are flecked with orange-brown to brown above the lateral line and are brown or tan flecked with yellow below the lateral line. Their head has yellow or green striping that is more prominent below the eyes. They have a series of white or pale blotches just below their dorsal fins. All their fins are yellow or orange. Fish taken from deeper waters have a darker coloration, however these bright colors and blotches fade immediately upon collection. Their head is relatively short with a small terminal mouth and large eyes. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 7 to 9 rays; their caudal fin is slightly indented; their dorsal fin has 12 or 13 spines and 13 to 16 rays; and, their pectoral fins have 17 to 19 rays. They have 31 to 39 gill rakers. Their body is covered with scales.
The Yellowtail Rockfish is a schooling species found between mid-water and resting on the bottom or in crevices over high relief such as boulders and rock walls from the intertidal zone to depths up to 550 m (1,800 feet). They are found in large schools mixed with Canary Rockfish and Vermilion Rockfish. They reach a maximum of 66 cm (2 feet 2 inches) in length, with females being larger than males. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 3.32 kg (7 lbs 5 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Mayne Island, British Columbia in May 2012. Reproduction is oviparous with each female releasing between 57,000 and 2,000,000 pelagic eggs annually. They have a lifespan of up to 64 years. The Yellowtail 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 Yellowtail Rockfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a very limited distribution being found from San Quintin, Baja California northward along the northwest coast of Baja.
The Yellowtail Rockfish is easily confused with the Olive Rockfish, Sebastes serranoides (drab coloration with dark green-brown back; lighter green-brown sides; greenish or light blotches on back; greenish-yellow fins; lacks flecking coloration on scales; lacks facial striping).
From a conservation perspective the Yellowtail Rockfish has not been formally evaluated. They are a strong component of the commercial fishery in the Pacific Northwest taken predominately in mid-water by bottom trawls. They are a minor component of the recreational catch. Overall populations of the Yellowtail Rockfish have seen a significant decline of approximately 50% in the last 50 years.