Species profile
Brown Rockfish
Sebastes auriculatus
Identify Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus) from a photo: try it free in your browser, or get unlimited IDs, no sign-up, with the CatchRules app. Plus current fishing rules across 5 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus) is a bony-fish species regulated in 5 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (Alaska); the most generous is 10 (Alaska).
Confirmed by 844 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Washington, and British Columbia the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Brown rockfish can live up to 34 years and typically reach about 21 inches in length.
- Like all Pacific rockfish, they release live larvae instead of laying eggs.
- Their mottled brown pattern provides excellent camouflage against rocky reef habitat.
- They inhabit rocky reefs and kelp beds from Alaska to Baja California.
- Females can release hundreds of thousands of tiny larvae in a single spawning event.
Where Brown Rockfish are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Brown Rockfish
Background
The brown rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus), whose other names include brown seaperch, chocolate bass, brown bass, and brown bomber, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Sebastidae.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Brown Rockfish article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Brown Rockfish?
Brown Rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus) is a bony-fish species regulated in 5 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Brown Rockfish?
Brown Rockfish is Sebastes auriculatus.
Is Brown Rockfish regulated for fishing?
Yes — Brown Rockfish has fishing regulations in 5 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Brown Rockfish?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules app for iPhone or Android — on-device identification recognizes Brown Rockfish along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.