Carnatus, a Latin word for flesh colored describes the coloring of gopher rockfish, which are brown or dark brown with large pink to whitish blotches.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Gopher rockfish range from Eureka, California to San Roque, central Baja California, but they are most common from about Mendocino County, California to Santa Monica Bay. Larvae and young juveniles are pelagic, but as the juveniles mature, they will settle on rocky reefs or into the kelp canopy. Adults are residential and demersal, associated with kelp beds or rocky reefs, from the intertidal to about 264 ft, most commonly between 30 and 120 foot depths.

Age and Growth

Maximum age estimates from northern and central California range from 24 to 30 yr. Based on a calculated age-length relationship for aging, an 8-in TL gopher rockfish is approximately 3-4 yr old, a 10-in. TL fish is approximately 5-6 yr old, and a 12-in. fish is approximately 9-10 yr old. Their largest recorded size is 15.7 inches.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

In southern California waters, both males and females reach first maturity at 3 yr, 5.3 in. TL. Off central and northern California, half of the population of males, as well as females, will reach maturity at 4 yr, 6.7 in. TL, and by 10 yr, 9 in. TL, the entire population of males will have reached reproductive maturity.

Off California, spawning takes place between January and July, with peak spawning in February, March and May. It may take up to 90 days, at a range of .08 to 1.6 in. TL, before the larvae settle out of the plankton. In central California, June has been observed to be the primary month for recruitment of larvae to nearshore areas.

Natural Mortality

There are no estimates of natural mortality for gopher rockfish.

Diseases

No information is available on diseases in gopher rockfish.

Predator/Prey Relationships

Gopher rockfish larvae are diurnal planktivores. Juveniles are also diurnal and eat crustaceans. Their predators include fishes, such as rockfishes, lingcod, cabezon, and salmon, as well as birds and porpoises. Adult gopher rockfish are nocturnal predators that ambush their prey. Some of their prey items include crustaceans (particularly Cancer sp. crabs, caridean shrimp, anomurans), fish (including juvenile rockfish), and mollusks. Their predators include sharks, dolphins, and seals.

Competition

The territorial gopher rockfish excludes kelp rockfish from bottom territories and black-and-yellow rockfish from the deeper portions of its vertical distribution. Also, based on co-occurrence, gopher rockfish probably competes for food and space with cabezon, lingcod, greenlings, and other rockfish such as China, quillback, copper, and vermilion.

Critical Habitat

Small juveniles may inhabit the kelp canopy. Larger juveniles and adults are demersal and prefer shallow rocky substrate and kelp beds, as well as sandy areas near reefs, usually between 30 and 120 foot depths.

Status of Stocks

No formal stock assessments have been completed for gopher rockfish. This species is a valuable component of recreational and commercial fisheries in California.