Aquatic Species at Risk - Yelloweye Rockfish (Pacific Ocean Inside and Outside Waters Populations)

Description
Habitat
Threats
What Can You Do?
Further Information
Scientific Information

Description
Yelloweye rockfish are one of the largest rockfish species, reaching a maximum recorded length of 91 cm and weighing 11.3 kg. They can be easily identified by their vibrant orange to red colouration and bright yellow eyes. Adults usually have a light to white stripe on the middle of their body, while juveniles have two light stripes and are also a darker red than adults. Yelloweye Rockfish have 13 spines on their back and their fins may also have black tips.

Habitat
Adult Yelloweye have been found at depths from 30 to 232 m. They live solitarily in hard-surface bottom areas such as broken rock, rock reefs, ridges, overhangs, crevices, caves, cobble, and boulder fields. Juvenile Yelloweye occur at shallower depths than the adults. Rockfish move bathymetrically with age, hence the older (larger) rockfish tend to occupy the deeper depths within their specific depth range.

Threats
Fishing is the main known threat to the Yelloweye rockfish population in Canada. Aboriginal, recreational and commercial fisheries on the Pacific coast all target Yelloweye rockfish, along with other rockfish species. Yelloweye are also taken as incidental catch in other commercial fisheries. Yelloweye are particularly vulnerable to commercial and recreational fishing because they live near the shore and their large size makes them a desirable catch. As one of the largest, longest-lived and latest-maturing rockfishes, Yelloweye populations are especially sensitive to mortality caused by human activities. Like other rockfish species, Yelloweye cannot rapidly adjust to changes in pressure; as a result, they often die when brought to the surface.

How Can You Help?
The Yelloweye rockfish will get the protection it needs only if all Canadians work together to reduce threats. Find out more about the Yelloweye rockfish and be aware of human-induced threats. Do your best to reduce these threats and better protect the habitat of this species at risk by getting involved with the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk  or another conservation organization.

Further Information:
Yelloweye Rockfish live only in the northeast Pacific Ocean. In Canada, there are two distinct populations ranging throughout the coastal waters of British Columbia. These include the “outside” waters population occupying the waters west of Vancouver Island and north and south to the U.S. boundaries, and the “inside” waters population occupying the waters east of Vancouver Island. These two populations have distinct characteristics reflecting their adaptation to different marine eco-regions.

In 2002, catch restrictions, fishery monitoring, stock assessment programs and Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCA) were established through the development of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Rockfish Conservation Strategy. RCAs protect 20% of rockfish habitats in outside waters and 30% of rockfish habitats in inside waters. As of 2007, 164 such areas were established. Within RCAs, inshore rockfish such as Yelloweye are protected from all mortality associated with recreational and commercial fisheries.

In addition, Yelloweye rockfish catch is managed by catch quota restrictions in both the commercial and recreational groundfish fishery. In 2002, the commercial total allowable catch and the recreational daily and possession limits for Yelloweye rockfish were reduced by 50% for outside waters and by 75% for inside waters. As well, all commercial groundfish fisheries have 100% at-sea and dockside monitoring.  

Currently, protection is afforded through the Species at Risk Act, under which a management plan must be developed for these Yelloweye populations. Additional protection is afforded under the federal Fisheries Act and Environmental Protection Act.

Scientific Information:

Scientific name: Sebastes ruberrimus
Taxonomy: Fishes (marine)