2 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2015
OSU researchers determine
popular rockfish is two species
www.shoppelocal.biz
CORVALLIS — A new
analysis confirms that the Blue
Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus),
a popular and commercially
significant rockfish sought by
anglers primarily off the
California and Oregon coasts,
is actually two separate and
distinct species.
Previous studies had discov-
ered some genetic differences
between two groups of Blue
Rockfishes, but their status as
distinct species had never been
proven until researchers at
Oregon State University, the
Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife,
and
the
California State University,
Los Angeles, demonstrated
distinguishing differences in
anatomy, coloration, geograph-
ic distribution and genetics.
Results of the study have
been published in the Fishery
Bulletin.
“Various researchers have
written about the Blue
Rockfish for years but it has
never been morphologically
described as two separate
species,” said Ben Frable, an
OSU graduate student in the
Department of Fisheries and
Wildlife and lead author on the
study. “There are physical,
genetic, and apparent behav-
ioral differences between the
two species.”
Frable and his team named
the newly described species
Deacon Rockfish (Sebastes
diaconus) — a tribute to the
nickname given Blue Rockfish
by Portuguese fishermen
around San Francisco in the
19th century.
They called it the “priest
fish” because the white bands
around its head resembled a
clerical collar.
D. Wolfe Wagman, a marine
biologist with ODFW and co-
author on the study, said the
discovery may in the future
alter how resource managers
approach rockfish harvest reg-
ulations, which have been par-
tially restricted in 2015.
Under a federally estab-
lished management system,
Blue Rockfish are counted as a
single species belonging to the
“minor near-shore rockfish
complex,” which saw signifi-
cant reductions in allowable
harvest in 2015.
In addition to Blue
Rockfish, this complex of 11
species
includes
China,
Quillback and Copper rock-
fishes — all three of which
cannot be legally harvested by
recreational fishers in Oregon
this year — thus concentrating
angling efforts on Black and
Blue rockfishes, Wagman said.
“Black Rockfish are the
major target of the complex
and have a separate quota, set
at 440 metric tons,” Wagman
said. “But the Blue Rockfish
quota is much lower and
ODFW is concerned that if
fishing efforts exceed that
quota, then all groundfish fish-
ing would have to stop in
Oregon because even inciden-
tal catch and release of Blue
Rockfish would exceed the
quota.”
However, the discovery of
the new Blue Rockfish species
throws a different wrinkle into
the equation. The original
species, Sebastes mystinus, is
more prevalent in California,
while the newly identified
Deacon Rockfish is found from
northern California all the way
to the Salish Sea near
Vancouver, B.C.
Both groups are found off
the Oregon coast.
“This may eventually lead to
separate quotas, but as of now
— as long as they are still cat-
egorized in the ‘minor near-
shore rockfish complex’ —
they have to be managed as
one group with China,
Quillback, Copper and other
rockfishes in the complex,”
Wagman said.
Brian Sidlauskas, an OSU
ichthyologist and the universi-
ty’s Curator of Fishes, said
there is no reason to believe
that either species of Blue
Rockfish is endangered, but
that population surveys need to
be done.
“The original Blue Rockfish
(Sebastes mystinus) is consid-
ered exploited in parts of
California, but the Deacon
Rockfish seems fairly robust
from Oregon northward,”
Sidlauskas said. “In some
areas, you find the two species
together, yet we haven’t seen
any evidence of hybridiza-
tion.”
Wagman
approached
Sidlauskas in 2012 and asked
him to formally study the tax-
onomy of the Blue Rockfish.
Andres Aguilar, a fish scientist
from
California
State
University, Los Angeles, who
had participated in some of the
earlier genetic analysis, joined
the team as did Frable, who
was tasked with examining the
historical record, including
preserved specimens housed in
ichthyological
collections
throughout the U.S. and
Canada.
Those records date back to
the 1800s and Frable examined
130 museum specimens col-
lected from Vancouver Island
to northern Baja Mexico to
look for differences and simi-
larities in fish caught over the
past century.
To formally “describe” the
two species, Frable and col-
leagues measured their spines,
scales, eye width, dorsal fin
length, tip-to-tail length, and
other characteristics; and quan-
tified differences in body
shape, proportion and growth.
Some of the 35 measure-
ments were clearly distinct
between the species.
“There are also some possi-
ble differences that may
require more research,” Frable
said. “In talking with port sam-
plers, it seems like Deacon
Rockfish are caught in slightly
deeper waters, while the origi-
nal Blue Rockfish is more
often found closer to shore.
That could prove to be helpful
from a management stand-
point.”
Sidlauskas said the research
underscores the importance of
preserving historical collec-
tions of fishes and other
species.
“Ben had access to a net-
work of ichthyology collec-
tions that provide a wealth of
data over time and space,” he
pointed out. “Some of these
fish were preserved 120 to 130
years ago, and that historical
perspective is invaluable in
providing context for what we
see today.”
Boys and Girls Club fall
sports sign-ups beginning
Boys and Girls Club of
Western Lane County youth
registration for fall sports
begins Monday, July 27.
Registration forms are
available at the club adminis-
trative office at 1501 Airport
Road.
Early-bird pricing is avail-
able until Aug. 7. Soccer is
$35; volleyball is $40; cheer
squad is $35; flag football is
$40 and fifth- and sixth-grade
tackle football is $85.
Prices increase $15 per
sport after Aug. 7.
All athletes must be regis-
tered members of Boys and
Girls Club, and pay the annual
$25 membership fee.
Adults interested in being a
coach or referee will receive
the following discounts: the
first child of an eligible coach
is free and each additional
child is $25 for the sport in
which the parent or guardian
coaches.
Companies or individuals
interested in sponsoring a team
or sport should contact Boys
and Girls Club at 541-902-
0304 for more information.
Sponsors include Tony’s
Garage and Goodman’s Floor
Covering.
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Tours of Heceta Lighthouse
still being conducted daily
YACHATS — Heceta Head
Lighthouse tours are still being
held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Lighthouse maintenance
and inspections of the upper
levels mean tours will only be
conducted on the lawn area
adjacent to the lighthouse and
in the first level of the light-
house, but not up in the tower
itself.
Heceta Head State Scenic
Viewpoint is 14 miles north of
Florence on Highway 101, and
features the lighthouse, short
trails, picnicking, a small
beach and a historic lighthouse
keepers home managed by the
U.S. Forest Service but operat-
ed as a bed and breakfast.
The park serves an estimat-
ed 625,000 visitors each year.
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