Sebastes pinniger
Canary rockfish have been an important commercial species since at least the early 1880s, with fisheries off San Francisco, California and Washington state. They are caught in trawling and hook and line operations, along with a variety of other fish such as yellowtail, lingcod, and other rockfishes. The population on the U.S. West Coast was declared overfished in 2000 and a recovery plan was implemented in 2001. This stock was declared rebuilt in 2015.
U.S. wild-caught canary rockfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.
Above target population level on the Pacific Coast.
At recommended levels.
Most fishing gear used to harvest canary rockfish rarely contacts the ocean floor and has minimal impacts on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear.
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch of overfished and protected species.
There are three stocks of canary rockfish: Pacific coast and two stocks in the Gulf of Alaska. According to the most recent stock assessments:
The Pacific coast stock is not overfished (2015 stock assessment) and not subject to overfishing based on 2018 catch data. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART. This stock had been overfished and was successfully rebuilt in 2015.
In the Gulf of Alaska, canary rockfish is contained in two stock complexes:
The population status of the Gulf of Alaska Demersal Shelf Rockfish Complex is unknown, but according to 2020 catch data, this complex is not subject to overfishing.
The population status of the Gulf of Alaska Other Rockfish Complex is unknown, but according to 2020 catch data, this complex is not subject to overfishing.
