HomeMarine aquarium fishOther marine fishBlue rockfish Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) Scientific name: Sebastes mystinus Jordan & Gilbert, 1881 The Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) is a marine fish of the family Sebastidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 26 - 27. Head spines weak to very weak - nasals present, preoculars usually present, supraocular, postocular and tympanic spines usually absent, coronal, parietal and nuchal spines absent. Eye diameter and mouth small. Deep bodied with large pectoral fins. Anal fin profile vertical or slanted posteriorly. Caudal fin indented. Blue or black in color with vague striping on forehead; lighter ventrally. Branchiostegal rays: 7.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameSebastes mystinusFamilySebastidae (Rockfishes, rockcods and thornyheads)OrderScorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length61.0Depth range0–550 m (0–1804 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 550 m, usually 183 - 550 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionEastern Pacific: northern limit is uncertain, at least from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada (possibly Aleutian Islands, Alaska) to northern Baja California, Mexico.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesGamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariumsResilienceLow, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.17 (?); tm=3-5; tmax=44) More other marine fishVermilion rockfishSebastes miniatusChina rockfishSebastes nebulosusTiger rockfishSebastes nigrocinctusBocaccio rockfishSebastes paucispinisBlack rockfishSebastes melanopsQuillback rockfishSebastes maligerSee all other marine fish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026