Fish of Vancouver Island - some under threat of overfishing

Sebastes caurinus, Neck Point, Canada

In this post I show some species of fish and the seascape in which they are living. Photo's and descriptions are from the following dive spots: Rock Bay, Neck Point, Tyee Beach and Cottam Point.
All are situated in the Strait of Georgia at the east side of Vancouver Island (respectively from north to south), Canada. I will take you from the low water mark to about 19 m deep.

Oligocottus maculosus, Neck Point, Canada

Let's begin in very shallow water in an environment with rocks, pebbles and sand. Here you can find a small fish in abundance: the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculosus. They were not shy and I saw them frequently chasing each other. Up to 9 cm, but usually smaller.

Oligocottus maculosus, Neck Point, Canada

Sculpins (NL: zeedonderpadden) are an important order (of the Scorpaeniformes) in these waters. They are represented with 37 species (Lamb & Edgell (1986)), against 7 species in Europe (Lythgoe (1976)). To be honest I did only find three species. The tidepool sculpin, the prickly sculpin and the second largest sculpin on earth: the great sculpin, Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus.

Oligocottus maculosus, Neck Point, Canada

I saw one great sculpin at Neck Point and I would love to show you this monster of about 75 cm long, but unfortunately I had some problems with my photo gear. The glass of the port of my underwater housing steamed up, because of the difference in watertemperature (23ºC at entry, 13ºC  at about 13 meter). The great sculpin was patient, I was not. Because I had to wait for the glass to clear up, I wandered off looking for other fauna. To my shame: when the glass was clear I could not find the sculpin any longer...
For two other species of sculpin at Vancouver Island have a look at this post.

Cottus asper, Tyee Beach, Canada 

Cottus asper, the prickly sculpin, is also a shallow water inhabitant (to 10 m deep). One of the distinguishing features of this species is the dark spot on its first dorsal fin. I like its stocky head. Up to 30 cm.

Cottus asper, Tyee Beach, Canada

All sculpins are bad swimmers. They just rest motionless on the bottom waiting for small fish, shrimps and crabs to pass by. When they attack, they quickly jump forwards and suck their prey into their big mouth.

Embiotoca lateralis, Tyee Beach, Canada

This is the striped seaperch, Embiotoca lateralis. Quite exotic with their bronze-gold colour and blue stripes. They are living near seaweed-covered rocks in shallow water. While diving I noticed one specimen, but in fact there were three. Have a look at the photo below. It shows how well they are camouflaged if you are looking from above. Up to 38 cm.

Embiotoca lateralis, Rock Bay, Canada

Embiotoca lateralis, Tyee Beach, Canada

Hexagrammos decagrammus, female, Rock Bay, Canada  

From shallow water up to 45 m deep you can find the kelp greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus. Male and female are quite different. I am not surprised that in the past they were seen as two different species. Up to 60 cm long.

Hexagrammos decagrammus, female, Rock Bay, Canada 

Hexagrammos decagrammus, female, Rock Bay, Canada 

In the world of fish usually the male is the more colourful, the more beautiful. It is a matter of taste, but I think female kelp greenlings are well matched.

Hexagrammos decagrammus, male, Rock Bay, Canada 

Hexagrammos decagrammus, male, Neck Point, Canada 

They were common and curious, but they kept their distance. Lamb & Hanby (2005): 'Is this species the next one to be designated for slaughter, as fishers, politicians and fisheries managers look for another underutilized species to exploit?'

Hexagrammos decagrammus, male, Neck Point, Canada 

A most extraordinary coloured eye. First prize in the beauty contest!

Hexagrammos decagrammus, female, Rock Bay, Canada 

Two female kelp greenlings between seagrass.

Parophrys vetulus & Himatina trophina, Cottam Point, Canada

Parophrys vetulus, the english sole in its sandy biotope. Next to it the nudibranch Himatina trophina, Long-mouthed aeolid. More about this and other molluscs in my next post.

Parophrys vetulus, Cottam Point, Canada

Up to 61 cm long. Its form is more slender than its family member, the rock sole (below), which is more rounded.

Lepidopsetta bilineata, Cottam Point, Canada

Lepidopsetta bilineata, the rock sole. Lamb & Edgell (1986): 'The active rock sole commonly dwells upon sandy or muddy bottoms but may frequently, though briefly, move onto smooth rocky outcroppings.' Up to 60 cm.

Lepidopsetta bilineata, Cottam Point, Canada

Bassozetus elongatus, Rock Bay, Canada

This lingcod, Bassozetus elongatus, and the one on the next photo are juvenile specimens of about 25 to 35 cm. Lamb & Hanby (2005): 'Overfishing has reduced virtually every population of this species.'

Bassozetus elongatus, Rock Bay, Canada

Bassozetus elongatus, Tyee Beach, Canada

They can reach an impressive size and weight: up to 1.5 m long and a weight of 48 kg! The specimen on this photo was about 80 cm. As I tried to come closer to take some more photo's, because the opossum shrimps were ruining my picture (as you can see), it just swam away. To be honest I was a bit wary and was glad that there was a big photo apparatus between him/her and me.

Rhinogobiops nicholsii, Tyee Beach, Canada

In a more secluded biotope between rocks and sand you can find Rhinogobiops nicholsii, the blackeye goby. It is not shy at all. Strange, because in the same neighbourhood you will find big predators like the lingcod. Up to 15 cm long.

Rhinogobiops nicholsii, Pycnopodia helianthoides, Agarum fimbriatum (top right), Fucus gardneri (bottom right), Neck Point, Canada

Rhinogobiops nicholsii, Tyee Beach, Canada

In this photo you can see the blackeye goby 'standing' on its pectoral and pelvic fins. Like all Gobiidae, they have their pelvic fins transformed into a kind of sucker. But it is not by far as strong and sticky as the sucker of Gobiesox maeandricus.

Rhinogobiops nicholsii, Neck Point, Canada

In my last post I told about the total absence of Blenniidae in this part of the Pacific. It is almost the same with the Gobiidae, because the blackeye goby is one of only three representatives of this genus here. Against more than 40 species in Europe (Lythgoe (1976)). These families live in about the same biotope as sculpins and gunnels, which are very well represented in the waters around Vancouver Island. Why is family X so successful in Pacific waters and family Y in Europe? Your guess is as good as mine.

Sebastes maliger near Nereocystis luetkeana, Rock Bay, Canada 

Sebastes maliger, the quillback rockfish, swimming along bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkana. The big 'dogs' - like the ones in the photo above - were hovering over the bottom searching for prey, but when resting they were swimming near the big bull kelps for cover. Smaller specimens were always near the bottom and sometimes resting on the rocks (see the first photo of this post, its relative, the copper rockfish).

Sebastes maliger, Rock Bay, Canada

As you can see there was a lot of debris in the water. I am used to troubled water: in comparison this would be called clear water in the Netherlands. Usually a flash is causing 'backscatter': tiny debris particles which are reflected/highlighted by the flashlight(s). So you would think I used a flash in this photo and none in the next photo. But it is the other way round. Maybe it was slack tide at the moment I took the next photo and there was a lot less debris swirling around.

Sebastes maliger, Rock Bay, Canada

This species can live as long as 95 years (Lamb & Hanby (2005)). It lives subtidal to a depth of 275 m. Up to 60 cm long.

Sebastes caurinus, Rock Bay, Canada

This is another species of rockfish: Sebastes caurinus, the copper rockfish. One distinguishing feature compared to S. maliger is the white stripe along the lateral line. Contrary to S. maliger you can also find S. caurinus in the intertidal zone. Up to 66 cm long.

Sebastes caurinus, Rock Bay, Canada

A more reddish variety of the copper rockfish.

Sebastes caurinus, Neck Point, Canada

The next quotations are from Lamb & Hanby (2005): 'Steadily and alarmingly Pacific Northwest populations of this once-abundant species are declining. The main reasons are the commercial fishery.... '. About its congener S. maliger: 'Like other rockfish, this species is easily caught by novice anglers. Extraction activities, which continue unabated, can lift virtually every specimen from a reef.' A fishing quotum is imperative, but: 'Fishery managers, facing political pressure from consumers, appear powerless to stop it.'

Sebastes caurinus, Tyee Beach, Canada

As you have read in this post, some species of fish are under threat. I don't object to eating fish, but I hope this post will encourage you to enjoy these species just by looking at them. And by that I don't mean on your dinner plate. Protect them by fishing quota or marine reserves before it is too late!