Sebastes paucispinis
CR

Sebastes paucispinis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocaccio_rockfish

Overview

The bocaccio rockfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae, It is found in the northeast Pacific Ocean. It is also known as rock salmon, salmon grouper, rockcod, Pacific red snapper, or simply bocaccio.

Sebastes paucispinis faces severe population decline primarily due to overfishing and bycatch in commercial fisheries targeting other rockfish species. The species' extremely slow growth rate and late sexual maturity make it particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure, as populations cannot recover quickly from exploitation. Historical overharvesting has reduced populations to critically low levels, with continued fishing mortality preventing recovery despite some management measures.

Threat summary

Habitat

This rockfish species inhabits deep rocky reefs and continental shelf waters along the Pacific coast, typically found at depths between 50-400 meters. It prefers areas with complex bottom structure including rocky outcrops, boulder fields, and submarine canyons that provide shelter and foraging opportunities.

Marine neritic· major

Other threatened species in SEBASTIDAE

EN

Sebastes fasciatus

Unknown

Threatened in Canada

VU

Lepiota echinella

Unknown
EN

Nymphaea loriana

Declining
EN

Lake Lamprey

Entosphenus macrostoma

Unknown
VU

Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Sebastes paucispinis classified as Critically Endangered?
Sebastes paucispinis is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Sebastes paucispinis faces severe population decline primarily due to overfishing and bycatch in commercial fisheries targeting other rockfish species. The species' extremely slow growth rate and late sexual maturity make it particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure, as populations cannot recover quickly from exploitation. Historical overharvesting has reduced populations to critically low levels, with continued fishing mortality preventing recovery despite some management measures.
Where does Sebastes paucispinis live?
Sebastes paucispinis occurs in Canada, Mexico, and United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sebastes paucispinis?
The main threats to Sebastes paucispinis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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