A Guide to the Rockfishes, Thornyheads, and Scorpionfishes of the Northeast Pacific

Rockfishes and their close relatives are some of the most important fishes on the Pacific Coast. They occur on reefs, around sunken vessels, and among kelp beds, and they often comprise more than 90 percent of all the fishes living in these locations. Rockfishes are favorites of recreational and commercial fishers and have major economic value. They are the frequent subjects of underwater photographers, but in spite of a wide appreciation of their beauty, identifying these closely related species, particularly underwater, is challenging. With over 400 color photographs of both juveniles and adults, this is the first book to present all of these remarkable fishes in one guide and the first devoted solely to their identification.