Halfbanded Rockfish
Rocote Inspector
(Sebastes semicinctus)

Halfbanded Rockfish, Sebastes semicinctus: The Halfbanded Rockfish is perhaps the easiest of the rock fishes to identify. It is a small slim fish that is silvery, light pinkish brown or red-brown in color, with two prominent and one minor dark blotch along the sides.

One blotch is located at mid-body and the second halfway to the tail, as pictured here. These are obvious and give rise to the common name of this species.

A third band is found at the base of the tail.

This fish species reaches 10 inches in length and is found between 50 and 1,300 feet deep in the water column. It is a schooling fish species found in small groups as an active swimmer above the sea floor.

The Halfbanded Rockfish is one of the most abundant rock fishes in central and southern California over medium-depth reefs. It is a relatively short-lived species, reaching 15 years. It consumes copepods, krill and a variety of zooplankton.

Due to the banding on its sides the Halfbanded Rockfish cannot be easily confused with any other fish species.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

Along the Pacific Coast the Halfbanded Rockfish ranges from Washington State to Sebastián Vizcaíno Bay, Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico at 28.00 degrees north latitude.

Although the Halfbanded Rockfish is abundant it is quite small and is not of interest to commercial fisherman. It is a common catch of recreational anglers.

It is a member of the Scorpaenidae Family and Sebastes Genus which in Mexican fishing areas are known as rocotes.

Halfbanded Rockfish picture 1

Halfbanded Rockfish picture 2

Halfbanded Rockfish, Sebastes semicinctus: Caught fishing out of 600-foot deep water at the 9.5-mile bank off Point Loma, California, in April 2008, by Eddie Kisfaludy, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif. Size 15.5 cm. Fish identification courtesy of H.J. Walker, Jr., Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.

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