(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - rockfish, copper
OTHER COMMON NAMES - copper rockfish
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Fish
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Osteichthyes,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Scorpaeniformes,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Scorpaenidae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Sebastes,
SPECIES AND SSP - caurinus,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Sebastes caurinus
AUTHORITY - Richardson
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 208
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
The copper rockfish from the southern part of the species range has often
been identified as S. vexillaris; recent research has shown that the two
names are synonyms, and S. caurinus has precedence *208*.
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Sport Fish
Commercial
Commercial/consumption
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 208
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
The copper rock fish is significant in the California ocean sport fishery,
and also is taken in the commercial fishery *208*.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - AQUATIC
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 208
LAND USE -
Water
Bays and Estuaries
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 208
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 208
ANIMAL/PLANT SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
2 branchiurans
3 cestodes
2 acanthocephalans
6 nematodes
1 hirudinoid
9 copepods
3 monogeneans
13 digeneans
1 protozoan
REFERENCES FOR SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS - 208
COMMENTS ON SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
Copper rockfish are apparently eaten by seals and lingcod and probably by
other large predators *208*.
Copper rockfish are hosts of many endoparasites and ectoparasites, including
2 branchiurans, 3 cestodes, 2 acanthocephalans, 6 nematodes, 1 hirudinoid, 9
copepods, 3 monogeneans, 13 digeneans, and 1 protozoan *208*.
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 208
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Molluscs Not Specified
General Crustaceans Not Specified
General Fish Not Specified
General See Comments; Food Not Applicable
Larva Crustaceans Larva stage
Larva Crustaceans Not Specified
Larva Copepods
Larva See Comments; Food Not Applicable
Juvenile Crustaceans Not Specified
Juvenile Fish Not Specified
Juvenile Osteichthyes Not Specified
Juvenile See Comments; Food Not Applicable
Adult Fish Not Specified
Adult Osteichthyes Not Specified
Adult Squaliformes Not Specified
Adult See Comments; Food Not Applicable
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 208
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 208
REFERENCES FOR JUVENILE FOOD - 208
REFERENCES FOR LARVAE FOOD - 208
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
These fish are opportunistic carnivores that feed largely on benthic
organisms, primarily crustaceans, fish, and molluscs. Food type is related
to size *208*.
The fish apparently feed both during the day and at night. Prey varies
seasonally; crabs were less abundant in stomachs in winter and early spring
than in other seasons *208*.
COMMENTS ON ADULT FOOD -
In Puget Sound, Washington, fish >300 mm FL ate mostly fish. The largest
ones (>400 mm) were especially aggressive feeders; spiny dogfish appeared to
be a common prey *208*.
COMMENTS ON JUVENILE FOOD -
Fish 110-155 mm eat small crustaceans such as amphipods, shrimp, caprellids, and isopods, and pinnixid crabs. One to 3 year olds ear juvenile Dungeness crabs and
and anchoives, with fish increasing and crustaceans decreasing as the fish
grow *208*.
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
COMMENTS ON LARVAE FOOD -
The smaller fish (<45 mm SL) in the kelp canopy eat primarily calanoid
copepods, with some harpacticoids and zoea *208*.
Food Habits - 2 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Water Temperature: Specified in Comments
G Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
A Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Sand
A Bottom Type [Aquatic]: Specified in Comments
A Water Depth Preference: Specified in Comments
LIM Turbidity: Specified in Comments
LIM Currents: upwelling
LIM Currents: specified in comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 208
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 208
REFERENCES FOR RESTING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 208
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
Foraging activity is reduced by high currents and turbidity such as occur
during tidal ebb and flow. At slack water, the fish move out of crevices
and away from the reef *208*.
Depth range for copper rockfish is relatively broad, and the minimum depth
decreases seasonally with upwelling, suggesting that lower temperatures are
preferred (although a broad range can be tolerated) *208*.
Copper rockfish are primarily on rocky reefs or rock-sand bottom of
irregular bathymetry *208*.
COMMENTS ON RESTING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
Depth ranges from surface to 183 m on rock or rocky sand bottoms. Adults,
which are closely associated with the bottom, never occur on sand, but are
usually in and around rocks, with which they maintain much closer contact
in winter and spring *208*.
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS
Rockfishes off California are difficult to identify because about 60 similar
species occur there. The characters given here should be used with caution.
Many, if not all species of Sebastes are venomous. Poison glands are
associated with some or all of the spines of the first dorsal, anal, and
pelvic fins. The venom, although painful, is not dangerous except when it
provokes an allergic reaction or where the injury becomes infected *208*.
The copper rockfish is distinguished by the dark brown, olive, pink, or
orange-red back with patches of yellow or copper-pink; the white lateral
line extending from below the first dorsal fin to the tail; and the smooth
underside of the lower jaw *208*.
Dorsal fin XIII, 11-14; anal fin III, 5-7; pectoral fin 16-18; gill raker
teeth on first arch 26-32; lateral line pores 37-45 *208*.
SPAWNING
Larger females produce more offspring. All rockfishes have internal
fertilization and bear live young. The young receive substantial nourishment
from the mother, probably by the consumption and assimilation of ovarian
fluid.
Little is known of the early life history of the copper rockfish. In
Washington waters, spawning occurs once a year. Data on egg maturation and
spawning vary. Diameter of ripe eggs ranges from 0.08 to 1.1 mm. As in
other rockfishes, fecundity is related to length. Egg production ranges
from 15,600 eggs in a 242 mm female to 640,000 in one 474 mm long *208*.
LARVAL STAGE
Larvae and small juveniles are pelagic for periods of several months to a
year. Off California they are abundant and widely distributed in the
California Current. However, because of identification problems, the
distributions of larvae and juveniles of individual species are poorly
known *208*.
Copper rockfish are 5-6 mm long at birth. They are pelagic until they are
40-50 mm standard length, and have an ontogenetic migration *208*.
JUVENILES
In central California, juveniles are closely associated initially with
surface and mid-depth Macrocyctis kelp beds. Individuals become benthic at
40-50 mm long in late April and May. Off British Columbia, juveniles have
been found hiding in gooseneck barnacles on flotsam; they are recruited to
small artificial reefs in September and October, where at least some remain
until they are 2 years old. Bays may also be used as nursery areas *208*.
ADULTS
Adults, which are closely associated with the bottom, never occur on sand,
but are usually in and around rocks, with which they maintain much close
contact in winter and spring. Tagging experiments in Puget Sound have
suggested that mature fish do not move far from their chosen location *208*.
MATURITY AND LIFE SPAN
Off CentralCalifornia, fish reach at least 20 years of age. Males may be
sexually mature at 3 years of age (300mm); all are mature by 7 years (400
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
mm). All females are mature by 8 years (410). Average length of a mature
female in an unexploited stock was 366 mm; at 50% maturity for females was
4 years.
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum length is 57 cm. Length-weight relations are similar for males and
non-gravid females but change seasonally. Little is known about growth *208 *.
FOOD
These fish are opportunistic carnivores that feed largely on benthic
organisms, primarily crustaceans, fish, and molluscs. Food type is related
to size *208*.
The fish apparently feed both during the day and at night. Prey varies
seasonally; crabs were less abundant in stomachs in winter and early spring
than in other seasons *208*.
PREDATORS
Copper rockfish are apparently eaten by seals and lingcod and probably by
other large predators *208*.
PARASITES
Copper rockfish are hosts of many endoparasites and ectoparasites, including
2 branchiurans, 3 cestodes, 2 acanthocephalans, 6 nematodes, 1 hirudinoid, 9
copepods, 3 monogeneans, 13 digeneans, and 1 protozoan *208*.
PERIODICITY
Copper rockfish apparently feed both during the day and at night *208*.
LIFE HISTORY CODES -
Average Number of Offspring/Reproductive Effort: Grea
Periodicity: Other (specify in comments)
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 208
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
Rockfish are caught commercially with trawls, gill nets and with
hook-and-line *208*.
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species rockfish, copper
Species Id M010170
Date 26 AUG 96
References
208 * Stein, David, Thomas Hassler. 1989. Species Profiles: Life
Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and
Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest)--Brown Rockfish, Copper
Rockfish, and Black Rockfish. Fish and Wildlife Service Species
Profiles 82(11.113) (ed.):15.
References - 1