Tag Archives: rockfish

March 18 – Divers Clean the Underwater Camera

Posted on by

Sunny
Wind: SW 5-14 knots in the morning, NE 5-9 knots in the late morning to afternoon, calm in the evening
Air Temperature: Low 7.8°C, High 10.7°C
Ocean Temperature: 8.8°C

Nine students came this afternoon with Courtney, Laura and Nazim to dive from the jetty. The seven divers were in groups of two and three for 30 minute dives. The others provided support from above.

Bader and Sean dove together and followed the cable out to the underwater camera, which lies at a depth of 12m of water out from the end of the jetty. They cleaned the plastic dome, which had become dirty with diatoms. See the photos below.

The divers mentioned seeing lots of vivid colours and amazing species including: urchin, anemone, rockfish, greenling, rose star and bull kelp.

Up on land, there was lots of vitamin D to soak up today while doing outdoor tasks: chopping firewood, stacking firewood, sweeping and tending to compost.

There was one fishing boat seen passing through the reserve today.

Sebastes caurinus: Copper Rockfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by

Sebastes caurinus, The Copper Rockfish.

 

Ryan took this photo on a night dive at Race Rocks in 2010. The numbers of this fish have been reduced by overfishing in the past so now it is one that benefits from the Rockfish Conservation  area (RCA) at Race Rocks
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Sebastes
Speciescaurinus,
Richardson, 1884
Common Name: Copper Rockfish

nbsp;

Other Members of the Phylum Chordata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

 March 2010-  Ryan Murphy (PC)

Sebastes emphaeus: Puget Sound rockfish

Posted on by
rmaug31sebastesemphaeus

Sebastes emphaeus, Puget Sound Rockfish photo by Ryan Murphy

Ryan took this photo in late August 2010, while diving at 10 metres at Race Rocks.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Scorpaeniformes
Family Sebastidae
Genus Sebastes
Species S. emphaeus (Starks, 1911)

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. August 2010- Ryan Murphy

Sebastes flavidus: Yellowtail Rockfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by

Adam took this photo of Erik swimming through a school of Sebastes flavidus, the yellowtail rockfish on July1, 2010. subtidal 10metres at Race Rocks.


Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Sebastes
Species flavidus
Common Name: Yellowtail rockfish

 

MArch 2010

Other Members of the Phylum Chordata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Adam Harding (PC).

Sebastes nigrocinctus: Tiger rockfish– The Race Rocks taxonomy

Posted on by

Characteristics:

Sebastes nigrocinctus, the tiger rockfish is striped like a tiger, feature shades of pink, grey or rose, with five black or red bars radiating backwards from the eyes. Bony ridges on the head may also distinguish them from other species. In younger individuals, tips of the ventral and anal fins are darkened. Tiger rockfish reach lengths of 35 cm by 17 years of age; their maximum size is reportedly 61 cm.

 

Distribution and Habitat:
Since the establishment of the Rock Fish Protection area around Race Rcoks after 2002, these fish are now protected.

They occur from shallow water to 305 m. They are generally found in waters less than 30 m in Puget Sound. Off Oregon, the species is usually found at depths of 64-305 m. In the northeastern Strait of Georgia, tiger rockfish are generally captured in 21-140 m of water.
Juveniles of the species are pelagic, while adults are semi-demersal to demersal. Tiger rockfish are commonly found in caves along undersea cliffs or on the sea floor, generally in high relief areas with strong currents. It was noted that tiger rockfish are often associated with “wall” habitat. Young have been noted resting among gooseneck barnacles near Triangle Island, British Columbia. Off southeast Alaska, habitat requirements for tiger rockfish are similar to those of Yellow Eye and China rockfishes. Juvenile tiger rockfish were observed around rocky reefs, as shallow as 9 m.

Trophic interactions:

Tiger rockfish are solitary, sometimes territorial, and are known to prey upon caridean shrimp, crabs (particularly rock crabs), amphipods and small fishes like herring and juvenile rockfish in the Gulf of Alaska . This species is a generalized feeder that depends on currents bringing food items near its home territory.

Classification based on:
Hart J.L., Pacific Fishes Of Canada, Bulletin 180, Ottawa 1973, page 433
Racerocks reference:

Further References:

1) Hart J.L., Pacific Fishes Of Canada, Bulletin 180, Ottawa 1973
2) http://www.homestead.com/FishStalker/Rockfish.html

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Scorpaeniformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Sebastes
Species nigrocinctus
COMMON NAME:Tiger Rockfish

 

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. March 15 2009-

Sebastes melanops: Black Rockfish– The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by

Physical description

We frequently see schools of these rockfish hanging about when we are diivng at Race Rocks. As you can see in the video, they remain at a distance as the diver swims into the group. They are a thin bass-shaped fish with few head spines. It is black, blue and black, spotted with grey or blue and grey, with black spots on the backs and dorsal fins.


Global distribution:
It lives in the ocean from the area of Amchitka Island (Auletian Islands) southeast to S. Miguel island and S. Barbara (southern California). We can find it from central California to south eastern Alaska.
Habitat:
It usually lives in mid-water or surface, but it has been captured down to 1.200 feet.
Feeding:
Young fish eat plankton and larvae, old eat mainly fish and zooplankton.

Predators:
Their predators are ling cods, sea lions and pigeon guillemots.
Reproduction:
Females are viviparous. From September to November they store the sperm before fertilizing the eggs. They let go young from January to May, peaking in February off California. One interesting fact: They live in groups of thousand of elements. They are good swimmers, in fact they can move hundred of miles.References:
Probably more than you want to know about the fishes of the Pacific Coast, M. Love,
Really Big Press, II edition.

Andy Lamb and Phil Edgell: “Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest”
J.L Hart: “Pacific fishes of Canada”

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
sub phylum vertebrata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Pereciformes
Family Scorpaenidae
Genus Sebastes
Species melanops
Common Name:Black Rockfish

 

Other Members of the Class Actinopterigii  at Race Rocks.
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. March 15 2005- Stefania Marchese PC, year 32 (Italy)

Name: Stefania Marchese,
PC, year 32 (Italy)

Sebastes maliger: Quillback rockfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by

Physical description: The Quillback rockfish is notable for being somewhat dumpier than normal rockfish (with a maximum recorded length of 60cm) with a large, spiny dorsal fin. Quillbacks are lighter coloured around the head and become darker progressing towards the tail. There are normally about two tan stripes running from the dorsal fin down to the belly, and orange spotting on the belly and head. Quillbacks can grow to up to 2 feet, but are not normally found larger than 20 inches.

Global distribution: Quillbacks can be found on the coast from the Gulf of Alaska all the way down to Southern California. However, their location normally ranges from the coast of South Eastern Alaska south to Northern California.

Habitat: These fish are known primarily as solitary, bottom dwellers, and inhabit rocky bottoms and reefs , never straying too far away from a possible hiding spot. Quillbacks can be found at depths between 40 and 250 feet. Generally, the larger the specimen, the deeper the depth that it is likely to be found at.

Feeding: As larvae, they feast mostly upon nauplii invertebrate eggs and copepods. As they grow up and become juveniles they eat mostly crustaceans. When they finally become adults, they become far less picky and feed on crustaceans, small fish (including other rockfish) bivalves and fish eggs.

Predators: As larvae, they are subject to the same predators as any other plankton. As juveniles, they are preyed upon by larger fish (such as rock fish and salmon) as well as marine birds. As adults, larger fish, such as sharks, feed on Quillback Rockfish, and possibly river otters. Rockfish are very popular for sport fishing and are kept alive for export to Asia.

Reproduction: Like all rockfish, Quillbacks are viviparous, and give birth to live offspring. Mating happens in late winter or early spring, and the females give birth between April and July. For the first two months of their lives, larvae are planktonic. Before settling close to shore.

Some Interesting Facts:
-The scientific name for the Quillback Rockfish stems from sabates and maliger, both greek, meaning magnificent and ‘I bear a mast’ respectively (the latter referring to the high dorsal fin notable in the Quillback species.)

-The oldest Quillback Rockfish was a Canadian, with an impressive lifespan of 76 years.

References
Nearshore Finfish Profiles http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/rockfish/quillback.html.2003.

Love, Milton. Probably More Than You Want To Know About The Fishes Of The Pacific Coast. Santa Barbara. Really Big Press.

Andy Lamb and Phil Edgell: “Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest”

J.L Hart: “Pacific fishes of Canada”

 

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. March 8 2005- Madeline (PC)