Blue Rockfish are oval in shape and have nearly no head spines. They exhibit blue-black or gray-blue coloration and show much dark overall mottling. A pair of dark stripes run away from the eyes. Blue Rock fish appear very much like Black Rockfish to the untrained eye, but are easily distinguished by the Blues smaller mouth, not extending beyond the orbit, and the ovate body type.
Blue rockfish are primarily plankton feeders so they are often found using the entire water column and can sometimes be seen “boiling” on the surface as they feed. They range from southeast Alaska to northern Baja California and can reach a length of 21 inches. Tagging studies have shown that Blue rockfish remain in a specific area for most or all of their lives.
