Fish Identification Photos: Canary Rockfish, Sebastes pinniger: The Canary Rockfish is a rocky reef fish that varies in color from bright orange to yellowish orange. The ventral side is gray affording the fish with an overall orange-gray motif. The Canary Rockfish has a thick body and a head covered with spines. Juvenile Canary Rockfish have a dark spot at the rear of the spinous dorsal.

Keys to identification of the Canary Rockfish are that the anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins are pointed; and, there is a pale stripe that runs along the lateral line from the gill cover to the tail. There are also two bands, one wide and one narrow, sloping downward from the eyes toward the pectoral fins.

The Canary Rockfish ranges in size from 10 to 30 inches and up to 12 pounds. Females are larger than males. The Canary Rockfish matures in 7 to 9 years and has a lifespan of at least 50 years. It is found on or near the bottom in large schools over rocks, along drop-offs, and over hard bottoms between 30 and 900 feet deep in the water column.

The Canary Rockfish feeds on fish, squid, krill, octopi, and a variety of other small marine life. The Canary Rockfish is very similar to the Vermilion Rockfish, Sebastes miniatus (dark edges on fins; fins are rounded, and the white stripe runs along the lateral line from midbody to the tail).

The Canary Rockfish ranges from southern Alaska to Punta Colonet, Baja California, Mexico (about 150 miles south of Tijuana) along the Pacific Coast. In some northerly areas the Canary Rockfish is a major component of the sportfishing industry, representing up to 13 percent of the average marine catch. It is a targeted species of Washington State and British Columbia commercial fishermen and is caught primarily with trawl and gillnets. The Canary Rockfish is sold whole in several ethnic markets and has a short shelflife when frozen. Overall, the population of Canary Rockfish is in decline and is of concern due to over fishing.

The Canary Rockfish is a member of the Scorpaenidae Family, which are known in Mexico as escorpiones and rocotes.

Canary Rockfish, Sebastes pinniger: A commercial fish sold as “Rock Cod.” Courtesy of the Ranch 99 Market, San Diego, Calif., January 2008. Size, approximately 14 inches. Several productive discussions related to rockfishes with Dr. Milton Love, University of California, Santa Barbara acknowledged. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.