Rougheye rockfish
📖 Overview
Rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianus), first described by Jordan & Evermann, 1898 is a large fish in the family Sebastidae (order Perciformes). Adults typically reach 97.00 cm in maximum length. Reported lifespan reaches approximately 205 years. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 25 to 900 metres. It occurs in Deep-water waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. The species is important as a food fish and valued as a game and sport species. As a member of the Sebastidae, it shares life-history and morphological traits with its relatives in the group.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6 - 8; Vertebrae: 27. This species is distinguished by the following characters: 8 head spines strong - nasal, preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic, coronal, parietal and nuchal spines; 2 or more infraorbital spines; differs from S. melanostictus by having a pale body with no distinct spots on the membranes of the spinous dorsal fin; shorter dorsal-fin spine 1, 1.5?3.0 times into orbit length, 4.3?7.2% SL (vs. 1.0?1.8 times into orbit length and 5.9?9.6% SL); shorter dorsal-fin spine 4, 9.8?15.5% SL (vs. 12.0?18.4% SL); shorter and fewer gill rakers, 3.4?6.3% SL (vs. 3.9?7.1% SL) and 29?34 (vs. 30?36), respectively .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
During certain periods, rougheye rockfish form schools, but for a considerable duration of the year, larger individuals prefer solitude or tend to move in small groups. It is considered one of the most long-lived fish species, with individuals thought to live for more than two hundred years. These fish prey on shrimps, crabs, fish, amphipods, and mysids for their diet. As an oviparous species, they reproduce between February and June, occasionally breeding between October and January.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 25 - 900 m . Deep-water; 66°N - 32°N, 129°E - 116°W North Pacific: Japan to Navarin Canyon in the Bering Sea (but not in the Sea of Okhotsk), throughout the Aleutian Islands, and south to San Diego, California, USA.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Rougheye rockfish is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17.4 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 635 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Rougheye rockfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | rougheye rockfish |
| 🇫🇷French | sébaste à oeil épineaux |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Karmazyn ostrooki |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Алеутский морской окунь |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastes swifti | Evermann & Goldsborough | 1907 | Synonym |
| Sebastodes aleutianus | Jordan & Evermann | 1898 | Synonym |
| Sebastodes swifti | Evermann & Goldsborough | 1907 | Synonym |
| Zalopyr aleutianus | Jordan & Evermann | 1898 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 20 records indexed .
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