"This is an exciting book for those who have an interest in the most accurate information regarding the rockfish populous along the California Coast. What an outstanding collection of photos and hard data regarding these species of fish. Our hats off to these 'extreme' scientists who braved the offshore weather to bring us such an information-packed resource. The high-resolution photos of these fish in their natural habitat are amazing, as well as the high-tech methods of capturing these photos through remotely operated vehicles and submersibles. Well done!"--Ken Franke, Sportfishing Association of California "This guide represents a tremendous amount of excellent work stemming from new technology developed to assess the status of species inhabiting rocky and high-relief habitats. Optically assisted acoustics is the future of fishery stock assessments, and rockfish sustainability depends on the kind of visual observations that this book presents."--Bill Fox, World Wildlife Fund "Via submersible technology, excellent photographic contributions, and vast and caring knowledge, John Butler, Milton Love, and Thomas Laidig have brought this wonderful group of fishes to life. Sebastophiles rejoice--a magnificent resource has arrived!"--Andy Lamb, co-author of Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest and Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest "Although rockfishes are an ecologically, economically, and culturally important group, there has not been a guidebook dedicated to their many species and relatives. This excellent volume not only describes the adults but also the commonly seen juveniles, and the superb pictures and detailed descriptions differentiate similar-looking species. A Guide to the Rockfishes, Thornyheads, and Scorpionfishes of the Northeast Pacific will prove invaluable to keen observers of the underwater world, scientists and casual observers alike."--Jan Freiwald, Reef Check California

This manual helps identify all 37 rockfish species in Alaska and British Columbia, and most of the rockfish in Oregon and Washington. The book is spiral-bound and printed on heavy water-resistant stock for use onboard fishing vessels and in processing plants. This is one of our best-selling books.

There are more than 33,000 species of living fishes, accounting for more than half of the extant vertebrate diversity on Earth. This unique and comprehensive reference showcases the basic anatomy and diversity of all 82 orders of fishes and more than 150 of the most commonly encountered families, focusing on their distinctive features. Accurate identification of each group, including its distinguishing characteristics, is supported with clear photographs of preserved specimens, primarily from the archives of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This diagnostic information is supplemented by radiographs, additional illustrations of particularly diverse lineages, and key references and ecological information for each group. An ideal companion to primary ichthyology texts, Fishes: A Guide to Their Diversity gives a broad overview of fish morphology arranged in a modern classification system for students, fisheries scientists, marine biologists, vertebrate zoologists, and everyday naturalists. This survey of the most speciose group of vertebrates on Earth will expand the appreciation of and interest in the amazing diversity of fishes.

"A major landmark contribution to fisheries science and fish ecology. Rockfish populations are in a severe decline throughout the Northeastern Pacific, and the need for a deep understanding of their biology, ecology, and management has never been more critical. This book addresses all aspects of our current knowledge of this diverse and interesting group of groundfish species, and it is written clearly and with humor. An outstanding work!"--Larry G. Allen, California State University, Northridge "Quite simply the best account ever of the fascinating, diverse, and valuable rockfishes. If you are interested in the marine fishes of the Pacific Coast, you need this book."--Peter B. Moyle, author of Inland Fishes of California