Management Overview
The Puget Sound/Georgia Basin DPS of yelloweye rockfish in Washington State is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting the yelloweye rockfish. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.
Recovery Planning and Implementation
Recovery Plan
Yelloweye and Bocaccio Rockfish Recovery Plan (PDF, 167 pages)
Recovery Plan Fact Sheet & Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 4 pages)
Remotely Operated Vehicle Surveys
Collaborative Genetic Research
Kelp Conservation
Conservation Efforts
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Permit Applications
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) submitted applications to us for four scientific research permits and one incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. WDFW prepared a conservation plan to minimize and mitigate effects on listed species. The permit applications are related to scientific research and fisheries management measures in Puget Sound/Georgia Basin, potentially affecting nine ESA-listed fish populations, including bocaccio and yelloweye rockfish. Following a public comment period, we released the final documents on WDFW's permit applications on November 6, 2012.
For more information, see the materials below or contact Dan Tonnes, 206-526–4643.
Salish Sea Rockfish Recovery Workshop, June 2011
The Rockfish Recovery in the Salish Sea: Research and Management Priorities Workshop on June 28-29, 2011 brought together scientists, managers, and industry professionals. Their focus was on recent and on-going research and recovery efforts of rockfish and their habitats in the Salish Sea to enable further collaboration. This workshop specifically focused on rockfish in the Salish Sea because of its unique and diverse habitats and its complex socioeconomic dynamics that influence rockfish research and recovery measures. The workshop was organized and supported by resources from NOAA Fisheries, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the SeaDoc Society. Presentations from the workshop are listed below.
Workshop Report (PDF, 124 pages).
Historical Context, Benthic Habitat Survey, and Abundance
Biology & Stock Assessment of Rockfish in Puget Sound (PDF, 22 pages)
Ecological History of Rockfish Exploitation in Puget Sound (PDF, 25 pages)
Reconstructing Historical Trends in Rockfish Abundance from Local Ecological Knowledge (PDF, 20 pages)
Mapping the Salish Sea Floor for Rockfish Habitat (PDF, 42 pages)
Small ROV in a Broad-Scale Regional Survey (PDF, 21 pages)
Observed Impacts to Rockfish in Derelict Fishing Gear (PDF, 16 pages)
Deepwater Sidescan Sonar And Camera Surveys for Derelict Nets (PDF, 13 pages)
Toxic Contaminants in Demersal Rockfish from Puget Sound (PDF, 18 pages)
Ecosystem and Species Interactions, Juvenile Recruitment, and Genetics
Effects of Lingcod Predation on Copper Rockfish Recovery in Marine Reserves (PDF, 24 pages)
Impacts of Lingcod and Rockfish on Benthic Community Structure (PDF, 38 pages)
Seal & Sea Lion Predation on Rockfish in Puget Sound (PDF, 33 pages)
The REEF Survey Project: An Ongoing Data Collection Effort (PDF, 23 pages)
Jackpot Recruitment & Conservative Management Effects (PDF, 18 pages)
Dispersal Processes in Puget Sound Brown Rockfish (PDF, 24 pages)
Hybridization of Sebastes Species in Puget Sound Basin, WA (PDF, 20 pages)
Use of Pacific Oyster Shell to Collect Juvenile Rockfish (PDF, 19 pages)
Agency, Canadian Perspective, and Collaboration Planning
What We Know & Don't Know About ESA-Listed Rockfish (PDF, 18 pages)
Rockfish Conservation, The British Columbia Experience (PDF, 22 pages)
Final EIS for the Puget Sound Rockfish Conservation Plan (PDF, 26 pages)
Collaboration, Legitimacy and Awareness in Puget Sound Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (PDF, 36 pages)
Critical Habitat for Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Rockfish
We, NOAA Fisheries, issued a final rule to designate critical habitat for three species of rockfish listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA):
-
The threatened yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) Distinct Population Segment (DPS).
-
The threatened canary rockfish (S. pinniger) DPS.
-
The endangered bocaccio (S. paucispinus) DPS (listed rockfish) pursuant to section 4 of the ESA.
Chronology of Rockfish in Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Actions
2017
January: NOAA Fisheries publishes a Federal Register Notice (final rule) to remove the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin canary rockfish DPS from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species, remove its critical habitat designation, and update and amend the listing descriptions for the yelloweye rockfish and bocaccio DPS.
2016
August: NOAA Fisheries publishes a Federal Register Notice of Availability of the Draft Rockfish Recovery Plan.
July 6: NOAA Fisheries publishes a Federal Register Notice of the proposed removal of the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin canary rockfish DPS from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species, the removal of its critical habitat designation, and the update and amendment of the listing descriptions for the yelloweye rockfish and bocaccio DPS.
April: NOAA Fisheries completes a 5-Year Status Review for yelloweye rockfish, canary rockfish, and bocaccio (PDF, 131 pages).
2014
November 13: NOAA Fisheries designates final critical habitat for yelloweye rockfish, canary rockfish, and bocaccio.
August 30: NOAA Fisheries declines petition to list Georgia Basin China & Tiger rockfishes under the ESA.
2010
April: Sam Wright petitions to list Georgia Basin China & Tiger rockfishes under the ESA (PDF, 6 pages).
April 28: NOAA Fisheries lists Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Bocaccio as endangered and Canary and Yelloweye rockfish as threatened under ESA.
2009
April 23: NOAA Fisheries proposes to list three species of Rockfish in Puget Sound/Georgia Basin under the ESA with Bocaccio as "endangered" and Canary and Yelloweye rockfish as "threatened", and concludes that listing is not warranted for Greenstriped and Redstripe rockfish.
2007
October: Sam Wright presents supplemental Rockfish in Puget Sound petition information (PDF, 5 pages).
October 5: NOAA Fisheries declines the petition to list five species of Rockfish in Puget Sound under the ESA.
April: Sam Wright petitions to list 5 species of Rockfish in Puget Sound under the ESA (PDF, 23 pages).
January 23: NOAA Fisheries determines that ESA listing is not warranted for Puget Sound Copper and Quillback rockfish.
2006
September: Sam Wright petitions to list Copper and Quillback rockfish in Puget Sound under ESA (PDF, 17 pages).
2001
April 3: NOAA Fisheries determines that ESA Listing is not warranted for Pacific Herring and three rockfish species.
2000
November 24: NOAA Fisheries determines that ESA listing is not warranted for Pacific cod, Hake Walleye pollock.
1999
February: Sam Wright petitions to list 18 species of Puget Sound marine fish under the Endangered Species Act (PDF, 33 pages). NOAA Fisheries says seven of the populations listed on the petition merit further consideration.
Stewardship Resources
Fishing & Barotrauma
Report Sightings Of Derelict Fishing Gear 
Rockfish Barotrauma Video 
Species Identification Guide 
Rockfish Matching Game
Pacific Northwest Coloring and Activity Book (Northwest Fisheries Science Center)
Regulatory History
In February 1999, we received a petition from Mr. Sam Wright of Olympia, Washington to list 18 species of marine fishes in Puget Sound, including this species, under the ESA. On June 21, 1999, we found that there was insufficient information concerning stock structure, status, and trends for this species to suggest that listing this species may be warranted (64 FR 33037).
On April 9, 2007, we received a petition from Mr. Sam Wright (Olympia, Washington) to list "distinct population segments (DPSs)" of yelloweye rockfish, and 4 other rockfishes in Puget Sound, as endangered or threatened species under the ESA and to designate critical habitat. We found that this petition also did not present substantial scientific or commercial information to suggest that the petitioned actions may be warranted (72 FR 56986; October 5, 2007). On October 29, 2007, we received a letter from Mr. Wright presenting information that was not included in the April 2007 petition, and requesting reconsideration of the decision not to initiate a review of the species' status. We considered the supplemental information as a new petition and concluded that there was enough information in this new petition to warrant conducting status reviews of these rockfishes. We completed the status review in December 2010.
In April 2010, we listed the Puget Sound/ Georgia Basin DPS as threatened under the ESA.
