CALIFORNIA FINE DIVING

On any given dive in the kelp forests of northern California, divers have a surprisingly slim chance to encounter this shy kelp inhabitant.  One of the prettiest fish on the rocky reefs, rock greenling are also one of the most cryptic, living in cracks and crevices waiting for their next meal to come along.  Growing to 24 inches and living for up to 11 years, this fish is seldom seen by divers south of San Francisco but those that do find it are treated to a colorful scheme of mottled bright red and brownish/red blotched sides. One of the coolest fish you’ll encounter, it has nothing to be shy about. So when you’re out there, take an extra moment to look into the dark. You might just be greeted by the blue smile of the rock greenling, our subtidal hide-and-seek champ.

See you out there.

A juvenile sheephead is a pretty little girl.

This weeks foray into the kelp forest presents us with one of the most versatile and important residents of California’s nearshore waters, the Sheephead. A large member of the wrasse family, this hermaphroditic species feeds mainly on urchins and other shellfish, keeping populations in check and rocky reefs healthy. These guys are considered a fairly vulnerable species to the pressures of recreational fishing with mainly large males being targeted, resulting in an imbalance in the populations male-to-female ratio when it’s time to reproduce. Next time you’re out there and you come across a large urchin barren, such as the ones you find off Palos Verdes, look around for Sheephead. Then look some more. You probably won’t find many. Healthy Sheephead populations mean healthier reefs and kelp forests. The more you know.

A large male takes care of a purple urchin.

A female swimming by a red gorgonian.

This is kind of a special Fish Friday. Normally, here at CFD,  we highlight fish that divers are likely to see. This is kind of a special occasion however as I ran across an interesting article in the Western Outdoor News about a lonely and apparently very lost Chinook Salmon being caught and released in Santa Monica Bay last week.

The largest of the Pacific salmon, Chinooks can grow to up to 135 pounds during their years at sea before returning to spawn in their home streams and rivers. They are highly sought after game fish and certain runs, such as winter run Chinooks in the Sacramento River,  are even ESA listed. The species range doesn’t include any Southern California rivers so what this guy was doing here is a mystery and apparently the reporter who wrote the story forgot to ask. Fake news with cool fish.

Have a great weekend and we’ll see you out there.

Click here to visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife page to learn more about this wide ranging salmonid.