Copper rockfish span North America’s Pacific coast from southeast Alaska to Baja California in Mexico. They are the most abundant and common between British Columbia in Canada and southern California. They live in nearshore rocky environments and among kelp forests and generally stay close to the seafloor.

Juveniles spend most of their time hidden among sea grasses and kelp while adults seem to prefer deeper waters, typically on sandy bottoms near patches of rock or along rocky drop offs. Occasionally, copper rockfish will co-habitate with Giant Pacific Octopus in their dens. 

Copper rockfishes are fished recreationally and commercially and are co-managed in the United States to ensure the fishery’s sustainable future. Agencies involved in the management of groundfish like the copper rockfish include NOAA Fisheries, the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council.