Pacific Ocean Perch

Pacific Ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) are commonly known as the longjaw rockfish.  Pacific Ocean perch are a species of rockfish native to the Pacific Ocean. They primarily inhabit waters of the upper continental slope and along the edge of the continental shelf at depths of 325 to 1500 feet, with the greatest number occurring from 590 to 720 feet, over gravel, rocky or boulder type substrate associated with gullies, canyons and depressions.  During the summer, they form large schools often as large as 100 feet wide, 260 feet deep and 4200 feet long.  Pacific Ocean perch respond to the dynamics of the Diel Vertical Migration and migrate vertically toward the surface feeding on zooplankton, shrimp, squid, and forage fish.  They are a slow growing and long lived species reaching 21 inches in length and living as long as 90 years.  During the winter Pacific Ocean perch stop feeding and move into water greater than 900 feet deep. 

Pacific Ocean perch have a short, laterally compressed body that tapers toward their tail starting about midway down their length. They have a large mouth with a protruding lower jaw. They have several sharp dorsal spines immediately followed by a flat dorsal fin and a tail with a slight indent. The color of the Pacific Ocean Perch varies from bright red to light red with dark markings on the back above the lateral line and before the tail fin. The Pacific Ocean Perch have a pink mouth distinguished by a long lower jaw with a large forward directed symphyseal knob located on the end of the lower jaw and a short 2nd anal spine.They grow to a maximum length of around 50 centimetres and weigh 0.5-1.4 kilograms. Pacific Ocean perch can live for as long as a century.