China Rockfish

Sebastes nebulosus

Photo contributed by: Daniel W. Gotshall To email him click here.

Aquaculture Potential This species is "...highly esteemed as one of the tastiest rockfish" ( Eschmeyer and Herald 1983). The species is purchased on the live market for $6.50 per pound (Barnes 2003). Premium Pacific Seafoods located in Port Orford, Oregon, is exploring the opportunity of growing out this species from egg to market size in tanks associated with their live market (Barnes 2003). This species of rockfish, like many others has a declining wild population. As regulations limit fishing wild stock and as interest increases in repopulating rockfish habitat, this species may gain further interest for aquaculture application. It could be raised for commercial and/or remediation purposes. It also has potential for the ornamental market (in public aquariums for example since it grows too large for most home and office aquariums).

In-depth Information Regarding this Species

Alternate Common Names	Alaska to Redondo Beach, California (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
U.S. Range in the Pacific Ocean	N/A
Habitat	Inshore Along rocks and reefs (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
Substrate	N/A
Depth range (meters)	3–128 (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
Behavior	Territorial (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) Sedentary and remain at the bottom (Love 1996)
General Temperature Range (°C)	N/A
General Salinity Range (ppt)	N/A
Maximum Overall Recorded Size (cm)	N/A
Maximum Recorded Size for Males (cm)	N/A
Maximum Recorded Size for Females (cm)	N/A
Average Maximum Overall Length (cm)	43 (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983)
Average Maximum Overall Length for Males (cm)	N/A
Average Maximum Overall Length for Females (cm)	N/A
Average Maximum weight (kg)	N/A
Average Maximum weight for Males (cm)	N/A
Average Maximum weight for Females (cm)	N/A
Length When Harvested (cm)	N/A
Weight When Harvested (kg)	N/A
Overall Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years)	N/A
Male Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years)	N/A
Female Length to Age Ratio (cm/age in years)	N/A
Overall Maximum Age (years)	N/A
Maximum Age for Males (years)	N/A
Maximum Age for Females (years)	N/A
Age when Harvested (years)	N/A
Overall Growth Rate	N/A
Male Growth Rate	N/A
Female Growth Rate	N/A
Overall Age at Maturity (years)	N/A
Male Age at Maturity (years)	N/A
Female Age at Maturity (years)	N/A
Overall Length at Maturity (cm)	28 (50% are mature) 31 (all are mature) (Love 1996)
Male Length at Maturity (cm)	N/A
Female Length at Maturity (cm)	N/A
Maturity/Temperature Relationship	N/A
Type of Reproduction	N/A
Fecundity	N/A
Spawning Habitat	N/A
Spawning Behavior	N/A
Time of Year of Spawning	January–July Peak in January (Love 1996)
Number of Spawns per season	N/A
Spawning/Temperature Relationship (°C)	N/A
Spawning/Salinity Relationship	N/A
Description of Eggs	N/A
Habitat where Eggs are found	N/A
Days to Hatch	N/A
Time of Year when Eggs Hatch	N/A
Temperature for Egg Survival (°C)	N/A
Salinity for Egg Survival (ppt)	N/A
Predators on Eggs	N/A
Habitat where Larvae are found	N/A
Days in Larval Stage	N/A
Temperature for Larval Survival (°C)	N/A
Salinity for Larval Survival (ppt)	N/A
Larval Food Preference	N/A
Habitat where Juveniles are found	N/A
Length when Juvenile Settles out (cm)	N/A
Temperature for Juvenile Survival (°C)	N/A
Salinity for Juvenile Survival (ppt)	N/A
Where and When Juvenile Feeds	N/A
Juvenile Food Preference	N/A
Habitat where Adults are found (depth in meters)	N/A
Temperature for Adult Survival (°C)	N/A
Salinity for Adult Survival (ppt)	N/A
Adult Feeding Type	N/A
Adult Food Preference	Brittle stars, Shrimp, Fish, other animals on the bottom (Love 1996)
Food Eaten in Laboratory Setting	N/A
Amount of Food Eaten in Laboratory Setting	N/A
Additional Laboratory Findings	N/A
Environmental Considerations	N/A
Commercial Fishery	N/A
Market	"...highly esteemed as one of the tastiest rockfish." (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) High prices in the ethnic market (Love 1996) Live market–$6.50 per pound (Barnes 2003)
Sold Fresh or Frozen	N/A
Style Species is Sold	N/A
Additional Use of the Species	Popular recreational fishery (Love 1996)
Shelf-life in Fresh State (days at 40°F)	N/A
Shelf-life in Frozen State (months at 0°F)	N/A
Shelf-life Canned (months)	N/A
Weight sold in Oregon (kg)	N/A
Ornamental Market	N/A
Parasites or Disease	N/A
Additional Remarks	N/A
Location where Species has been Researched/Farmed	N/A
Appropriate Aquaculture Systems	N/A

Recent Wild Harvest Data for Oregon
Data from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Data for all rockfish caught
(except for black rockfish, canary rockfish, widow rockfish, yelowtail rockfish, and Pacific ocean perch)*

Year	Total Catch (Pounds)	Ex-vessel Value ( U.S. Dollars)
1989*	11,086,159	3,134,719
1990*	7,134,485	2,177,787
1991*	10,053,489	3,290,452
1992*	8,578,115	2,892,963
1993*	8,906,024	3,083,577
1994*	5,009,014	1,879,158
1995	2,547,151	1,137,441
1996	2,461,809	1,032,307
1997	2,160,170	969,342
1998	2,132,872	1,058,898

Note: Data for 1989–1993 includes values for black rockfish and canary rockfish.
Data for 1989–1994 includes values for canary rockfish.

Photo contributed by: Douglas F. Markle Department of Fisheries & Wildlife Oregon State University

© 2003 Stephen Sempier