Family: Scorpaenidae, Scorpionfishes view all from this family

Description To 21" (53 cm). Fusiform, deep, elongate, compressed; dark blue with light blue mottling, no spots on dorsal fin membranes. Snout moderately sharp; maxilla not reaching rear edge of eye; up to 4 pairs of weak head spines. Dorsal fins continuous, deeply notched, spiny portion longer-based, with incised membranes; rear edge of anal fin straight or slightly indented; caudal fin emarginate.

Warning The dorsal and anal fins contain mildly venomous spines.

Similar Species Dusky Rockfish (S. ciliatus) has blackish-brown body with brown speckles; occurs in similar habitat from Bering Sea to Dixon Entrance, British Columbia. Black Rockfish (S. melanops) has black spots on dorsal fin; maxilla reaching rear edge of eye; rear edge of anal fin rounded.

Habitat Shallow and deep reefs and kelp beds to 300 fathoms; usually off the bottom.

Range From Bering Sea to Punta Santo Tomas, Baja California.

Discussion In late winter, the Blue Rockfish bears its young, which spend several weeks as part of the plankton community. Large aggregations of adults occur in mid-water, where they feed on small crustaceans, jellyfishes, pelagic tunicates, algae, and small fishes. The Blue Rockfish is usually the most abundant rockfish in the catches of charter boat and skiff anglers. The annual sport catch in California is close to 500,000 fishes.