Copper Rockfish

Sebastes caurinus

Photo by: Kerry Werry (copyright 1996-2002 K. Werry)

Aquaculture Potential The copper rockfish, along with many other species of rockfish, have experienced overfishing in the Pacific Northwest. 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. The copper rockfish is a popular recreational species and aquaculture could potentially serve in a restocking program. In addition, the Asian live market is willing to pay a large amount of money for this species.

Opportunity Constraints Mature at age 3–8 which is low for a rockfish species (Washington et al. 1978 in Stickney et al. 1995, Love 1996) . High price in Asian live market (Love 1996) "…may comprise as much as 15% (commonly 1–3%) of total marine recreational catch." (off Oregon) (Love 1996) Stahl and Johnson (1984) reared fish from wild broodstock to caudal fin formation (Stickney et al. 1995) Most rockfish are venomous (poison glands on fin spines) but only painful to humans and not deadly (Stein and Hassler, 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995). This species' lifecycle is not closed or currently being studied.

In-depth Information Regarding this Species

Alternate Common Names	N/A
U.S. Range in the Pacific Ocean	N/A
Habitat	Bottom-dwelling (Love 1996) Associated with cover (Stickney et al. 1995)
Substrate	N/A
Depth range (meters)	Down to 183 (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Behavior	Solitary (Love 1996)
General Temperature Range (°C)	7–13 (Stickney et al. 1995)
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)	57.2 (Love 1996) 57 (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
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)	4–6 (50% mature) 8 (all mature) (Love 1996) 7 (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995) 3 (first individuals become mature) (Washington et al. 1978 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Male Age at Maturity (years)	N/A
Female Age at Maturity (years)	N/A
Overall Length at Maturity (cm)	33.0–35.6 (50% mature) 40.6 (all mature) (Love 1996) 41 (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
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	15,600 for 24 cm female 640,000 for 47 cm female (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Spawning Habitat	N/A
Spawning Behavior	N/A
Time of Year of Spawning	Late winter–Early spring (Love 1996) January–February (peak) (Stahl-Johnson 1984 in Stickney et al. 1995) Egg maturation from February–May Fertilization from March–May (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Number of Spawns per season	Most rockfish spawn 1 time per year (Stein and Hassler, 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995)
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	41–44 at 8.3–9.1°C (Stahl-Johnson 1984 in Stickney et al. 1995)
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)	9–17.2 (Stahl-Johnson 1984 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Salinity for Larval Survival (ppt)	N/A
Larval Food Preference	Larvae in lab preferred rotifers over Artemia or copepods (Stahl-Johnson 1984 in Stickney et al. 1995)
Habitat where Juveniles are found	Kelp (Love 1996)
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	Plankton (Love 1996)
Habitat where Adults are found (depth in meters)	Bottom dwellers (Love 1996)
Temperature for Adult Survival (°C)	N/A
Salinity for Adult Survival (ppt)	N/A
Adult Feeding Type	N/A
Adult Food Preference	Octopi, Shrimp, Crab, Small Fish (Love 1996) Crustaceans, small fish Shrimp and Pacific sand lance were dominate food in S.E. Alaska (Rosenthal 1988 in Stickney et al. 1995) Crustaceans, Fish, and Mollusks Small coppers eat Calanoid copepods At 11–16 cm eat Amphipods, Shrimp, Caprellids, and Isopods 1–3 year olds eat Dungeness crabs and Anchovies Larger ones eat Spiny dogfish (Stein and Hassler 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995) Crab, Shrimp, Fish (Washington et al. 1978 in Stickney et al. 1995)
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	Important fishery off British Columbia and California (Love 1996)
Market	High price in Asian live market (Love 1996)
Sold Fresh or Frozen	N/A
Style Species is Sold	Whole (Love 1996)
Additional Use of the Species	N/A
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	"…may comprise as much as 15% (commonly 1–3%) of total marine recreational catch." (off Oregon) (Love 1996) Most rockfish are venomous (poison glands on fin spines) but only painful to humans and not deadly (Stein and Hassler, 1989 in Stickney et al. 1995).
Location where Species has been Researched/Farmed	Stahl and Johnson (1984) reared fish from wild broodstock to caudal fin formation (Stickney et al. 1995)
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.

Photograph courtesy of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering To link to their webpage click here.

Photo contributed by: Bill Barss Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

© 2003 Stephen Sempier