Ocean Whitefish

At a glance

Ocean Whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 239 research-grade iNaturalist observations across the species' range.

Notable details

• Ocean whitefish belong to the tilefish family (Malacanthidae) and can exceed 3 feet in length.
• Their range extends from Southern California south to Peru along rocky reefs and kelp beds.
• Their mild, white flesh is highly prized and often compared to halibut in texture.
• They are typically found at depths of 10 to 400 feet near rocky ledges and structure.
• Unlike many bottom fish, they are active, strong fighters that readily strike cut bait and jigs.

Where Ocean Whitefish are seen

• California238 iNat obs
• Oregon1 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Ocean Whitefish

• CaliforniaUnited States · official source

Background

Caulolatilus princeps, the ocean whitefish, is a species of tilefish native to the eastern Pacific Ocean where it commonly occurs from central California to Peru as well as the Galapagos Islands. It is also found more rarely north to Vancouver, British Columbia. It can be found on sandy, muddy or rocky seafloors at depths of from 10 to 91 metres (33 to 299 ft), most commonly between 24 and 55…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Ocean Whitefish article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other bony fish on CatchRules

• Northern PikeEsox lucius
• Moorish IdolZanclus cornutus
• Nile TilapiaOreochromis niloticus
• Mozambique TilapiaOreochromis mossambicus