Mourn the loss of Lingcod v.1 -- caught, filleted, and eaten by a vampire's pet thrall in its first game.

Lingcod v.2 is practically indistinguishable -- it's just another fish. :-p

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DESCRIPTION - One of the most notable features of this fish is its great, gaping mouth with a projecting lower jaw and numerous sharp teeth. The largest individual on record is 152 cm in length and weighing 36.3 kg. The colouring is typically bold, mottled colors in shades of brown, grey or green.

DISTRIBUTION - Lingcods can be found all along the western coast of North America but the greatest abundance occurs in the region off of British Columbia. They generally prefer to inhabit rocky areas or the edge of underwater reefs.

BIOLOGY - Spawning occurs in January and February where the female lays 150 000-500 000 eggs then leaves immediately, the male then takes up the role of guardian. Adult lingcod prey on a variety of fish and have been known to be cannibalistic.

RELATION TO MAN - As well as being taken by sport and commercial fishermen, scuba divers take a substantial number of this fish. The flesh is quite tasty and turns white when cooked.

The cabezon is a big sculpin found in Pacific waters from the Baja Peninsula in Mexico to Sitka, Alaska. They are bottom-dwelling, sit-and-wait predators that take advantage of their mottled coloration to hide from unsuspecting prey. Cabezon are taken only incidentally in commercial fisheries, but have a delicate flavor and reach sizes up to 25 pounds. Don't eat the roe, though, because it's poisonous to humans. In Spanish, cabezon means big-headed or stubborn, which well-describes both its appearance and temperament.

The kelp greenling is currently sold on the live fishery market. In fact, Mark Barnes at Premium Pacific Seafoods states that kelp greenling is 45% of the biomass that he buys and sells for the live fish market (2003). This is an increase from approximately 20% in 1998. There may be potential to also develop this species for the ornamental market due to its behavior (clasping to algae) and coloration (see the bottom of this page).

Species: Sebastes rastrelliger; from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent) and rastrelliger (a rake, in reference to the stubby gill rakers).

Alternate Names: Rock cod, scomoda, grass bass, and, in the north, kelp bass.

Identification: Typical bass shape with green above and lighter green and brown below. Although often mistaken for kelp rockfish, they are easily differentiated during cleaning -- the grass rockfish has very short gill rakers on its first gill arch. The gill rakers are generally as wide as they are long.

Size: Length to 22 inches; generally between 8 and 16 inches for those caught from piers.

Range: Playa Maria Bay, Baja California, to Yaquina Bay, Oregon.

Habitat: Shallow-water rocky areas.

Piers: Grass rockfish are one of the most common shallow-water rockfish in California. However, most taken from piers are taken north of Santa Barbara. Needed ingredients are a rocky bottom or substantial kelp. Juveniles are often taken in very shallow areas around piers in bays during the summer. Best bets: San Francisco Municipal Pier, Berkeley Pier and Citizen's Dock (Crescent City). Larger adult fish are most common at Gaviota Pier, Santa Cruz Wharf, Point Arena Pier (perhaps the best) and the Eureka Municipal Wharf.

Bait and Tackle: Medium to light gear is sufficient for these fish. A high/low leader equipped with size 4 or 2 hooks is common tackle. Fish on or near the bottom and be prepared for a strike at any time. Best baits appear to be shrimp, mussel, pile worms or tube worms.

Food Value: An excellent eating, mild-flavored fish that is best fried.

Comments: Grass rockfish are fairly common around Point Arena Pier from June until October; fish inshore or cast straight out on the left side of the pier to the nearby reefs.

The coloring of kelp rockfish varies in hue from tan to pinkish brown to red, with dark mottling.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Kelp rockfish live in kelp beds and on rocky reefs, ranging from Timber Cove, northern California to Punta San Pablo, central Baja California. They are however most abundant between northern Baja and central California. This species is known to occur at depths up to 150 ft but are most common between 15 and 50 ft. Kelp rockfish are residential species, making no other migrations except possibly into deeper water during winter storms.

Age and Growth

Kelp rockfish have been aged to a maximum of 20 yr. Based on a calculated age-length relationship, and 8-in. TL kelp rockfish is approximately 3 yr old, an 11.6-in. fish is approximately 6 yr old, and a 13-in. fish is approximately 9 yr old. The largest recorded length for this species is 16.7 inches.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

Male and female kelp rockfish reach maturity at 4 and 5 yr of age, respectively. Corresponding total lengths at maturation are 9.9 in. and 9.6 inches. Off central California, spawning takes place between December and June, with peak spawning in May, and fertilized eggs are present between December and January. Females are viviparous and the planktonic larvae are 0.16 to 0.17 in. SL at release, and will settle into the kelp canopy after 1 to 2 months. As juveniles, they will settle out of their pelagic phase and first appear in the kelp beds between April and August. Recruitment to the nearshore area in central California generally occurs during June and July.

Natural Mortality

Estimates of natural mortality are not available for this species.

Diseases

No information is available on diseases in kelp rockfish.

Predator/Prey Relationships

Juvenile and adult kelp rockfish are considered searchers with respect to their prey, although adults are also known to ambush their prey. Prominent prey items for adults and juveniles include crustaceans, such as shrimp and amphipods, and small fish, particularly juvenile blue rockfish. The juveniles are prey of birds, pinnipeds, porpoises, lingcod, cabezon, salmon, and other rockfish. Predators of adult kelp rockfish include sharks, dolphins, and seals.

Brown rockfish are a common nearshore rockfish species in California. They, as their name implies, are brown in color with darker brown mottling.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Brown rockfish are found along the Pacific coast of North America from southeast Alaska to Hipolito Bay, central Baja California. They live in shallow waters and bays, and have been found as deep as 420 ft, although they are primarily found in waters less than 175 ft. Sub-adult and adult brown rockfish are residential, although they migrate into deeper water in the winter. Brown rockfish have a home range and tagging studies generally show no movement or movements of less than 2 km, although one tagging study showed a brown rockfish moving more than 50 km.

Age and Growth

Brown rockfish live less than 25 yr, which is a relatively short life span compared to other members of the genus. The maximum size for an adult is 22 inches. There does not appear to be sexual dimorphism between male and female brown rockfish in relation to length, weight, or age.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

Male and female brown rockfish mature from 3 to 10 yr of age, measuring 7.5 in. and 15 in., respectively. Half of the population is mature at 5 yr of age, measuring about 10 inches. As with all members of the genus Sebastes, brown rockfish are viviparous. Larvae are released from the female into the pelagic environment in December and January, and may also be released in May and June. They live in the upper zooplankton layer for a month and then metamorphose into pelagic juveniles. The pelagic juveniles spend three to six months in the water column as plankton and micronekton. As they grow older, they settle in shallow water nearshore and then migrate to deeper water. Young-of-the-year fish commonly migrate into bays and estuaries for use as nursery habitat. The use of the bay as a nursery is an uncommon practice for rockfish species. They may remain in the bay around rocks, piers and other structures in areas of higher salinity for one to two years before returning to the open coast. San Francisco Bay appears to be an important habitat for juvenile brown rockfish.

Natural Mortality

A natural mortality rate (M) was calculated to be 0.112 for brown rockfish from Puget Sound, Washington.

Diseases

No information on disease in brown rockfish was found.

Predator/Prey Relationships

As brown rockfish grow, they feed on increasingly larger prey. As juveniles they feed on small crustaceans, amphipods, and copepods, but at approximately five inches shift to crabs and small fish. Birds, dolphins, seals, sharks, lingcod, cabezon, and salmon have been observed to feed on juvenile and adult brown rockfish.

Competition

There was no information available on brown rockfish competitors.

Critical Habitat

Brown rockfish are typically found associated with sand-rock interfaces and rocky bottoms of artificial and natural reefs over a fairly wide depth range, and in eelgrass beds. In shallow waters, they are associated with rocky areas and kelp beds, while in deeper waters they stay near the rocky bottom. Sub-adults migrate into both high and low relief reefs and are strongly residential to their home sites.

Status of Stocks

Brown rockfish have long been an important component of the marine recreational fishery and a relatively minor but important component of the nearshore commercial fishery in California, especially north of Point Conception. While there have been studies of local abundance in certain coastal areas and within bays, the population size and structure of this species has not been comprehensively assessed.

The brown rockfish has been identified as a species vulnerable to severe localized depletions in other areas; in Washington state, the Puget Sound stock of brown rockfish was recommended for listing as a threatened species in 1999.

The copper rockfish is a highly variable species in terms of coloration, and due to this characteristic has been known by several names, depending to some degree upon locality.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

The copper rockfish is broadly distributed geographically, known from the northern Gulf of Alaska to off central Baja California. It also has a broad bathymetric distribution, known to occur from the shallow subtidal to 620 ft.

Tagging studies indicate that copper rockfish, for the most part, show little movement once they have settled to the bottom. Movement of up to one mile has been noted but the majority of tagged and recaptured copper rockfish are from the locality where they were originally taken. This life-history characteristic of high site fidelity makes this species susceptible to local depletion.

Age and Growth

Copper rockfish have been aged to 41 yr. Off central California, copper rockfish have been aged to 28 yr (a 22.1-in. individual). Size at age for copper rockfish, based on aging whole otoliths, from central California for the first 5 yr is as follows: age 0, to 3.6 in. TL: age 1, 3.7 to 5.9 in. TL; age 2, 4.2 to 9.4 in. TL; age 3, 7.0 to 11.5 in. TL; and age 4, 8.9 to 13.2 in. TL. There appears to be no significant difference in the growth rates between sexes. The maximum-recorded length for coppers is 22.8 inches.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

Length at first maturity for males has been found to vary from 11.6 to 14.6 in. TL (3 to 8 yr, respectively), and for females 11.6 to 12.2 in. TL (approximately 5 yr). Length at 50% maturity for males has been documented at 12.6 in. (4 yr), and for females at 13.4 in. (6 yr); and 13.4 in. (6 yr) for a sex-unspecified fish.

As will all rockfishes, coppers are viviparous and highly fecund. Mating occurs in the fall, and in California, larvae are released during winter months (Jan.-Apr.) with a peak in February. Larval duration was found to be one to two months. Young-of-the-year copper rockfish recruit into the nearshore environment at about 0.8 to 1.0 in. during April and May off central California.

Natural Mortality

Calculations of natural mortality (M) have been made from populations in Puget Sound, Washington and was calculated to be 0.1127 using tag/recapture method on fish 5 to 34 yr old.

Diseases

No information is available on diseases in copper rockfish.

Predator/Prey Relationships

Copper rockfish feed on a wide variety of prey items. Juvenile copper rockfish feed primarily on planktonic crustaceans. Larger crustaceans form a major part of their diet as they grow; these include Cancer sp. crabs, kelp crabs, and shrimps. Squid of the genus Loligo and octopi are also important food items. Fishes, which include young-of-the-year rockfishes, cusk-eels, eelpouts, and sculpins, are important forage for larger individuals. As juveniles and adults, copper rockfish are preyed upon by a variety of fishes including other rockfishes, lingcod, cabezon and salmon as well as several species of birds and mammals.

Competition

No information on competition in copper rockfish was found. Due to their co-occurrence with other larger benthic fish species such as cabezon, lingcod, greenlings, and rockfishes such as vermilion, brown, China, and gopher, it is likely that some degree of competition for food and space may occur.

Critical Habitat

Newly recruited copper rockfish initially associate with surface-forming kelps. After several months, and at about 1.6 in., the juveniles settle to the bottom on rocky reefs as well as sandy areas and are referred to as benthic juveniles. Adults are commonly found in kelp bed areas but also frequent deeper rocky reefs. As adults, this species is considered to be epibenthic, normally occurring slightly above the substrate, which is often high-relief rocky shelf and rock-sand interface.

Copper rockfish are an important component of the nearshore rocky reef system and are frequently encountered by scuba divers in this environment. Submersible observations of the biotic community off the Big Sur coast revealed copper rockfish between depths of 72 to 322 ft. The majority of sightings were of individual (solitary) fish occurring over rocky reef or boulder fields and most frequently in areas of high relief. Occasionally an individual was observed over sand.

Status of Stocks

There has been no stock assessment of this species in California. However, there is compelling evidence that copper rockfish populations have severely declined in many areas and large individuals are noticeably less common than in past decades.

Copper rockfish is one of the species taken in the commercial live-fish fishery. Copper rockfish have been an important component of the recreational catch in both skiff and commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) fisheries, especially off central and northern California. Due to its relatively large size, copper rockfish have been considered one of the premium species in the recreational angler's catch and a prime target for the sport diver. Due to their solitary nature, high habitat specificity, and the size they can enter the fishery (as juveniles), the copper rockfish is a prime candidate for local depletion.

The quillback rockfish is a component of central and northern California=s nearshore benthic assemblage. Quillback rockfish are relatively small, and are of Astout@ morphology; a characteristic common among nearshore Sebastes found in close association with the bottom. They are usually orange-brown to black in color with a yellow or orange pale area between the eye and pectoral fin.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Quillback rockfish are known from the Gulf of Alaska to San Miguel Island in southern California. They are considered common between southeast Alaska and northern California. They are considered a shallow to moderate depth species although they rarely occur to depths of 900 ft.

No stock structure has been determined for quillback in California.

Like other Sebastes of shallow, benthic habitat, individual quillback rockfish are not known to range far. Tagging studies in central California and Washington have shown quillback to be residential (no movement other than diurnal) or to show movement of less than 6 miles. They have also demonstrated homing ability and specific diurnal movement patterns.

Age and Growth

In California, quillback rockfish have been aged to 15 yr, but are known to live longer: They have been aged to 76 yr in Canada. Quillback can grow to 24 inches.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

In California, size at first maturity as well as 50% maturity for males is 8.7 in. TL (4 yr.), and for females is 10.2 in. TL (6 yr.) As with all Sebastes, quillback have internal fertilization and are viviparous. In California, mating takes place in the late winter/early spring, and parturition April through July; with a peak in May and June. After roughly one or two months in the plankton, they begin to settle near shore.

Natural Mortality

Natural mortality (M) values have been calculated for quillback rockfish stocks in Washington. It has been calculated to be 0.1253 via tag and recapture methods, and 0.115 via Hencke survivorship/age frequency curve.

Diseases

No information on disease in quillback rockfish was found.

Predator/Prey Relationships

As planktonic larvae, quillback rockfish are known to consume nauplii invertebrate eggs and copepods. After they settle in the shallow, nearshore areas they remain zooplanktivorous and feed on crustaceans. As adults their habit is more benthic, and they are known to feed on a variety of prey such as crustaceans; small fish, including rockfishes and flatfishes; bivalves and fish eggs.

As juveniles, they are preyed upon by fishes, including larger rockfishes (such as yelloweye), lingcod, cabezon and salmon. Various marine birds and pinnipeds take juvenile quillback as well. Adults are also subject to predation by larger piscivorous fishes including some sharks, as well as pinnipeds, and possibly, river otters.

Competition

Though quillback rockfish occur with a host of other nearshore benthic species, no information on competition was found.

Critical Habitat

The larvae of quillback rockfish are planktonic. After about one to two months in the plankton, they begin to settle near shore. Young-of-the-year quillbacks are found among relatively shallow, low-relief rocky substrate and shallow, vegetated habitats such as kelp and eelgrass beds. Juveniles tend to inhabit the very nearshore benthos as well, and are found over both low and high rocky substrate. Adults are most often found in deeper water and are solitary reef-dwellers living in close association with the bottom. They are often seen perched on rocks or taking shelter in crevices and holes. Adults have also been noted to retreat to eelgrass beds at night. Quillback are also associated with the rock-sand interface, but are rarely seen in the open away from suitable cover.

Status of Stocks

No stock assessment has been done for this species. Quillback rockfish are a minor component of the nearshore recreational fishery with decreasing occurrence south of northern California. They are also a component of the nearshore commercial fishery.

The quillback rockfish is a component of central and northern California=s nearshore benthic assemblage. Quillback rockfish are relatively small, and are of Astout@ morphology; a characteristic common among nearshore Sebastes found in close association with the bottom. They are usually orange-brown to black in color with a yellow or orange pale area between the eye and pectoral fin.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Quillback rockfish are known from the Gulf of Alaska to San Miguel Island in southern California. They are considered common between southeast Alaska and northern California. They are considered a shallow to moderate depth species although they rarely occur to depths of 900 ft.

No stock structure has been determined for quillback in California.

Like other Sebastes of shallow, benthic habitat, individual quillback rockfish are not known to range far. Tagging studies in central California and Washington have shown quillback to be residential (no movement other than diurnal) or to show movement of less than 6 miles. They have also demonstrated homing ability and specific diurnal movement patterns.

Age and Growth

In California, quillback rockfish have been aged to 15 yr, but are known to live longer: They have been aged to 76 yr in Canada. Quillback can grow to 24 inches.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

In California, size at first maturity as well as 50% maturity for males is 8.7 in. TL (4 yr.), and for females is 10.2 in. TL (6 yr.) As with all Sebastes, quillback have internal fertilization and are viviparous. In California, mating takes place in the late winter/early spring, and parturition April through July; with a peak in May and June. After roughly one or two months in the plankton, they begin to settle near shore.

Natural Mortality

Natural mortality (M) values have been calculated for quillback rockfish stocks in Washington. It has been calculated to be 0.1253 via tag and recapture methods, and 0.115 via Hencke survivorship/age frequency curve.

Diseases

No information on disease in quillback rockfish was found.

Predator/Prey Relationships

As planktonic larvae, quillback rockfish are known to consume nauplii invertebrate eggs and copepods. After they settle in the shallow, nearshore areas they remain zooplanktivorous and feed on crustaceans. As adults their habit is more benthic, and they are known to feed on a variety of prey such as crustaceans; small fish, including rockfishes and flatfishes; bivalves and fish eggs.

As juveniles, they are preyed upon by fishes, including larger rockfishes (such as yelloweye), lingcod, cabezon and salmon. Various marine birds and pinnipeds take juvenile quillback as well. Adults are also subject to predation by larger piscivorous fishes including some sharks, as well as pinnipeds, and possibly, river otters.

Competition

Though quillback rockfish occur with a host of other nearshore benthic species, no information on competition was found.

Critical Habitat

The larvae of quillback rockfish are planktonic. After about one to two months in the plankton, they begin to settle near shore. Young-of-the-year quillbacks are found among relatively shallow, low-relief rocky substrate and shallow, vegetated habitats such as kelp and eelgrass beds. Juveniles tend to inhabit the very nearshore benthos as well, and are found over both low and high rocky substrate. Adults are most often found in deeper water and are solitary reef-dwellers living in close association with the bottom. They are often seen perched on rocks or taking shelter in crevices and holes. Adults have also been noted to retreat to eelgrass beds at night. Quillback are also associated with the rock-sand interface, but are rarely seen in the open away from suitable cover.

Status of Stocks

No stock assessment has been done for this species. Quillback rockfish are a minor component of the nearshore recreational fishery with decreasing occurrence south of northern California. They are also a component of the nearshore commercial fishery.

The calico rockfish is a small, colorful rockfish species that does not exceed 10 in. in length or 2 pounds in weight.

Distribution, Stock Structure and Migration.

Calico rockfish range from Sebastian Viscaino Bay, Baja California to San Francisco. They inhabit a depth range of 60 to 840 ft.

Age and Growth

Calico rockfish have been aged to a maximum of 11-12 yr.

Reproduction, Fecundity and Seasonality

Male calico rockfish first become sexually mature at age seven. Female calico rockfish become sexually mature at age nine. Spawning occurs in southern California between January and May, with peak spawning occurring in February. Fertilized eggs are present in November and December. The larval stage lasts from less than four weeks to two months.

Natural Mortality

Estimates for natural mortality were not available for calico rockfish.

Diseases

No information is available on diseases in calico rockfish.

Predator/Prey Relationships

Juvenile calico rockfish feed on zooplankton such as copepods, barnacle cyprids, and larval fish. Adults feed on larger crustaceans such as euphausiids, fishes, and cephalopods. Larger rockfish species, lingcod, cabezon, and salmon prey upon adult calico rockfish. Sea birds and dolphins have also been known to feed on calico rockfish.

Competition

Calico rockfish probably compete with other foraging rockfish species and other finfishes with similar food habits.

Critical Habitat

Juvenile calico rockfish are found in areas of soft sand-silt sediment, and on artificial reefs. Adult calico rockfish inhabit rocky shelf areas where there is a mud-rock or sand-mud interface with fine sediments. They are associated with areas of high and low relief, including artificial reefs.

Status of Stocks

There are currently no estimates of abundance for calico rockfish in California. Because of the relatively small size of adult calico rockfish, they are not usually targeted by either sport or commercial fishermen, but are caught incidentally when other finfish species are targeted. Calico rockfish frequently appear as a bycatch in prawn trawls in southern California, and are caught by sport anglers on Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs) and private boats when they are fishing for other, larger benthic species.

A large Pacific scorpionfish that is very popular with fishermen. The Vermilion Rockfish can be found from Canada all the way down to Baja. This fish is a true bottom dweller that likes hiding in the rocks. Some are in shallow waters (100 feet) while others can be found as deep down as 400+ feet.

Special Info: Look out for the fish's sharp dorsal and anal fins, they can poke you if you touch them and it hurts.

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.

The octopus, which is also called "devilfish," is a predatory mollusc with a pouch-shaped body and eight powerful arms with two rows of suction discs on each. It also has an ink sac, which it uses to darken the water when it senses danger.
Octopuses are related to squids, cuttlefish, nautiloid, and other molluscs such as snails, mussels and clams. They can creep over hard surfaces using their arms; when they travel through water they move by jet propulsion, taking in water and ejecting it forcibly through a funnel as their muscular mantle contracts. They vary in size from a few centimetres to the giant octopus of the Pacific Ocean which can grow to over 10 m. Some species are edible, including the ink!

Sport harvesting of Red Abalone is permitted with a California fishing license and an abalone stamp card. Abalone may only be taken using breath-hold techniques: freediving or shorepicking. SCUBA diving for abalone is strictly prohibited. Taking of abalone is not permited south of the mouth of the San Francisco Bay. There is a size minimum of seven inches measured across the shell and a quantity limit of three per day and 24 per year. Abalone may only be taken in April, May, June, August, September, October and November; abalone may not be taken in July, December, January, February or March. Transportation of abalone may only legally occur while the abalone is still attached in the shell. Sale of sport obtained abalone is illegal, including the shell. Only Red Abalone may be taken; black, white, pink, and flat abalone are protected by law.

An abalone diver is normally equipped with a very thick wetsuit, including a hood, booties, and gloves. He or she would also wear a mask, snorkel, weight belt, abalone iron, and abalone gauge. It is common to take abalone in water a few inches up to 10m/28' deep; less common are freedivers who can work deeper than 10m/28'. Abalone are normally found on rocks near food sources (kelp). An abalone iron is used to pry the abalone from the rock before it can fully clamp down. Visibility is normally five to ten feet. Divers commonly dive out of boats, kayaks, tube floats, and directly off shore. An eight inch abalone is considered a good catch, nine inches extremely good, and a ten inch plus (250 mm) abalone would be a trophy catch. Rock- or shore-picking is a separate method from diving where the rock picker feels underneath rocks at low tides for abalone.

There has been a trade in diving to catch abalones off parts of the United States coast from before 1939. In World War II, many of these abalone divers were recruited into the United States armed forces and trained as frogmen.