Fishery Facts
Scientific Name Sebastes fasciatus, Sebastes mentella, Sebastes marinus, Sebastolobus spp
Common Name Acadian redfish, Rockcod, snapper, Pacific red snapper, Channel rockfish, ocean perch
Fishing Method bottom trawl, bottom longline, hook and line, mechanical jig.
Region of Harvest Canada/US Pacific coast, Northern Atlantic from Georges Bay and Gulf of Maine to Iceland and western Greenland, and the Norwegian Sea.
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| Why is it on the red list? |
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Biology |
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1. Destructive Canada and US bottom trawl fisheries operate in areas of the Atlantic known to be dense with deep-sea coral and other sensitive species.
2. Rockfish have been fished on the Pacific coast for thousands of years, but the introduction of industrial fishing 50 years ago, as well as increased recreational fishing pressure, has decimated the populations to historic lows with little chance of recovery soon due to overfishing of juveniles. Some fisheries have been closed due to overfishing, yet rockfish is still taken illegally as bycatch in these areas.
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1. Rockfish that live offshore are very slow growing and can live past 100 years and some species do not reproduce until 20 years of age, making them especially vulnerable to fishing pressure.
2. Many species of rockfish, including S. mentella and S. fasciatus give birth to live young.
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