About The Species
Yelloweye rockfish are among the longest lived of rockfishes, with a maximum age of up 150 years reported. This species is slow growing and late to mature. Although conservation measures like fishing bans have been put in place in Puget Sound, recovery from threats such as past overfishing and continued bycatch will take many years due to the life history of yelloweye rockfish. The Puget Sound/Georgia Basin distinct population segment (DPS) in Washington State is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Non-ESA listed populations of yelloweye rockfish are harvested in commercial and recreational fisheries off the West Coast and Alaska. Fisheries harvest of yelloweye rockfish is managed under the following Fishery Management Plans (FMPs):
Learn more about the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery off the West Coast
Learn more about stock assessments for yelloweye rockfish off the West Coast
Status
NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting yelloweye rockfish. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.
Find rockfish status reviews
Protected Status
ESA Threatened
1 distinct population segment
- Puget Sound/ Georgia Basin DPS
Threats
Yelloweye rockfish were once part of a vibrant recreational and commercial groundfish fishery in Puget Sound. Because all rockfish species are an important part of the food web, actions to support rockfish recovery would benefit the Puget Sound ecosystem. For instance, larval rockfish are a food source for juvenile salmon and other marine fish and seabirds.
Many rockfish species do not begin to reproduce until they are 5-20 years old, their recruitment varies from year to year, and reproductive success occurs at the right combination of temperature, food supply, and upwelling intensity. Therefore, these species are very susceptible to overfishing and habitat degradation.
Washington State has closed many commercial fisheries that caught rockfishes incidentally, and there is no direct commercial harvest of them in Puget Sound. Recreationally, targeting or retaining any species of rockfish in Puget Sound waters east of the Port Angeles area is not allowed.
Through work with our partners, we have supported a number of rockfish recovery actions, including derelict fishing gear surveys (PDF, 19 pages) and prevention (PDF, 15 pages) efforts, kelp conservation and recovery, the distribution of descending devices to recreational anglers, unique habitat and fish surveys, and the development of outreach materials.
Scientific Classification
Animalia |
Chordata |
Actinopterygii |
Scorpaeniformes |
Sebastidae |
Sebastes |
ruberrimus |