Sebastes miniatus
Encyclopedia
Sebastes miniatus is a species of rockfish
known by the common names vermilion rockfish, red snapper
, and red rock cod. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean
off western North America from Baja California
to Vancouver Island
.
The body of the vermilion rockfish is moderately deep and compressed. The upper profile of the head is somewhat curved; the mouth is large, with the lower jaw slightly projecting. The color is bright red on the body and fins; many with black and gray mottling on back and sides. On fish shorter than 12 inches (30.5 cm) the mottling is much more apparent and the fins are often edged with black. The yelloweye
and canary rockfish
es are similar in appearance to the vermilion, but the bottom of their lower jaws is scaleless and feels smooth to the touch. The vermilion rockfish has scales on the bottom of the lower jaw which make it rough to the touch.
, to Vancouver Island
, Canada. It is generally caught over rocky bottoms at depths of 100 to 500 ft (30.5 to 152.4 m) feet, although it has been taken from depths as great as 900 feet (274.3 m).
As with all other rockfish, fertilization is internal and the young are mobile. The free swimming young feed primarily upon shrimp
–like organisms, while the larger, bottom–living adults feed almost exclusively upon fish
es (smaller kinds of rockfish), squid
and octopus
.
works for vermilion rockfish. Rebaiting can be reduced by using a tough, difficult-to-steal bait, such as a piece of squid
or salted mackerel
.
Sebastidae
Sebastidae is a family of marine fish in the order Scorpaeniformes. Their common names include rockfishes, thornyheads and rockcods. Despite the latter name, they are not closely related to the cods in the genus Gadus, nor the rock cod, Lotella rhacina.Not all authorities recognise this family as...
known by the common names vermilion rockfish, red snapper
Red Snapper
Red Snapper may refer to:Fish:* Several species from the genus Lutjanus, for example the red snapper .* Several species from the genus Sebastes, for example the vermilion rockfish and yelloweye rockfish Red Snapper may refer to:Fish:* Several species from the genus Lutjanus, for example the red...
, and red rock cod. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
off western North America from Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
to Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
.
The body of the vermilion rockfish is moderately deep and compressed. The upper profile of the head is somewhat curved; the mouth is large, with the lower jaw slightly projecting. The color is bright red on the body and fins; many with black and gray mottling on back and sides. On fish shorter than 12 inches (30.5 cm) the mottling is much more apparent and the fins are often edged with black. The yelloweye
Yelloweye rockfish
The Yelloweye rockfish is a rockfish of the genus Sebastes, and one of the biggest members of the genus. Its name derives from its coloration. It is also known as the "red snapper." The Yelloweye is one of the world's longest-lived fish species, and is cited to live to a maximum of 114 to 120...
and canary rockfish
Canary rockfish
The canary rockfish is a rockfish of the Pacific coast, found from south of Shelikof Strait in the eastern Gulf of Alaska to Punta Colnett in northern Baja California.-Species description:...
es are similar in appearance to the vermilion, but the bottom of their lower jaws is scaleless and feels smooth to the touch. The vermilion rockfish has scales on the bottom of the lower jaw which make it rough to the touch.
Range
The vermilion rockfish occurs from San Benito Islands, Baja CaliforniaBaja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, to Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, Canada. It is generally caught over rocky bottoms at depths of 100 to 500 ft (30.5 to 152.4 m) feet, although it has been taken from depths as great as 900 feet (274.3 m).
Reproduction
The vermilion rockfish appears to mature and spawn for the first time at age 3–4. A vermilion rockfish that was 20 inches (50.8 cm) long was estimated to contain 282,000 eggs. By this measure a 30 inches (76.2 cm) female might hold as many as 500,000 eggs. The principal reproductive period is from December through March.As with all other rockfish, fertilization is internal and the young are mobile. The free swimming young feed primarily upon shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
–like organisms, while the larger, bottom–living adults feed almost exclusively upon fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
es (smaller kinds of rockfish), squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
and octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
.
Fishing
Because a good rockfish "hole" often will yield a dozen or more kinds on any given day, it has been said that rockfish fishing is colorful, interesting, productive, and mysterious. Vermilion rockfish usually are found in the bag of "red" rockfish taken from one of these holes. The same rig, bait, and technique used for bocaccioBocaccio
The bocaccio rockfish is a variety of fish found on the western coast of the United States and Canada.Bocaccio may also refer to:*USS Charr , originally designated as Bocaccio...
works for vermilion rockfish. Rebaiting can be reduced by using a tough, difficult-to-steal bait, such as a piece of squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
or salted mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
.