Bocaccio Rockfish - Sierra Club BC
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Bocaccio Rockfish

CAN BE FOUND IN:

Bocaccio Rockfish

Sebastes paucispinis

APPEARANCE 

Baby Bocaccio are a light bronze colour with brown spots. Adult Bocaccio are orange-red or olive-brown in colour. These fish have a large mouth and a knob that protrudes off their lower jaw. ‘Bocaccio’ actually means ‘large mouth’ in Italian! They can grow to be about 90 cm (3 ft) long. 
Note: Bocaccio are often mislabeled as red snapper, Pacific snapper and rock cod in markets and restaurants. 

RANGE & HABITAT 

The Bocaccio is one of at least 39 types of rockfish found in the coastal ocean waters of B.C. Bocaccio rockfish live all along the coast of the northern Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. In many of these areas the species has suffered from overfishing. They spend their whole lives in one area, often within the same community or “school.” They do not migrate. 

Young Bocaccio live near the surface of the ocean in a ‘nursery’ area, often in kelp beds or rocky reefs. Living near the surface keeps the young fish close to good food sources and calm waters. Once they grow, Bocaccio feel at home in deep water between 60 and 340m below the ocean surface. They live along rocky ocean bottoms, including coral reefs! These areas are filled with rich and diverse underwater plant and fish communities. 

Trawling (dragging a net along the bottom of the ocean and pulling up whatever the net catches) and warming oceans caused by climate change are harming these places, making it challenging for Bocaccio to thrive in a safe home. 

RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS 

Bocaccio rockfish are important consumers. These fish eat smaller fish such as anchovies, mackerel, squid and other rockfish. In turn, Chinook Salmon, terns and Harbor Seals rely on smaller Bocaccio as a source of food. Other beings that rely on larger adult Bocaccio as a food source are larger fish and marine mammals like Harbor Seals and Northern Elephant Seals.  
 
Coastal rockfish are a vital resource for the Coastal First Nations in B.C. Rockfish are not only a food but are also important for asserting Indigenous harvesting rights. Research on rockfish has been ongoing over the past decade to determine the best ways to protect these populations. Currently, the Bocaccio rockfish is critically endangered, which can threaten ecosystem balance. 

Bocaccio rockfish can live up to 57 years. Other species of rockfish can live up to 200 years! Rockfish don’t start reproducing until later in life. Late reproduction means that they are often killed by predators or human impacts before they have a chance to reproduce. In this species, the oldest fish have the most potential to reproduce, so when humans catch and kill them, it is very harmful to the population. 

STATUS 

IUCN: Critically endangered 
COSEWIC: Endangered 
CDC: Not Reviewed 

MORE INFORMATION 

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.  

Photo Credit

Canva

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