PLATE V. Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus). Two common shades of colour, illustrated on specimens about 30 inches long. PLATE VI. Blackbanded rockfish (Sebastodes nigrocinctus). Two common shades of colour, illustrated on a specimen 10 inches long. near Nootka but was not examined. In August, 1939, west of Cape St. James, Lat. 52° 49' N, Long. 1340 29' W, three specimens were obtained on a tuna lure and were recorded in 1940 by V. J. Samson. The albacore has been captured off the west coast of Vancouver Island in increasing numbers since 1939. The first large commercial catch was made in 1940. The abundance of the fish has proven to be rather variable in Canadian waters as it has off the California coast. This pelagic fish is distributed throughout all warm to temperate seas. Since no mature individuals have been taken anywhere along the Pacific coast of North America, it would seem that the albacore is a tropical fish whose young make extensive feeding migrations to distant regions and return to the tropics at the onset of maturity. The food consists of schooling small fishes such as anchovies, pilchards, herring, saunes, young mackerel and albacore, blue lanternfish (Tarle- tonbeania crenularis), as well as squid and zooplankton. It is a highly-prized sport and commercial fish and is taken with jigs made of bone, rags and feathers, towed behind boats. The commercial catch in Canadian waters is secured by trolling with bright red feather lures and is frozen for the most part, for subsequent canning. Fishermen sometimes refer to the albacore as the tuna or longfin tuna. Range: southern California to southeastern Alaska. Bluefin tuna Thunnus saliens Jordan and Evermann 1926 Body elongate, fusiform; caudal peduncle slender, keel on each side. Head conical; mouth terminal, moderate; gill rakers below angle of first arch. Fins: dorsal (2), XIII or XIV-13, interspace very short, spinous fin long, high anteriorly, finlets 9 or 10; anal, 12, origin below rayed dorsal fin, finlets, 8 or 9; pelvic, I, 5, thoracic; pectoral, short, shorter than head, reaching about midway between pelvic and anal fins, pointed; caudal, lunate. Lateral line: decurved anteriorly, nearly straight for greater part of length. Scales: cycloid, moderate, covering body; FIGURE 130. Itluefin tuna. Iluinnus saliens Jordan and Evunnann 1926 225 88744-8-15 corselet well developed extending farther back than pectoral fin. Colour: dark steely blue on dorsal surface more or less sharply shading into silvery gray on side above lateral line; dusky on spinous dorsal fin, dusky to reddish brown on rayed dorsal fin, silvery gray on anal fin, dusky to silvery on caudal fin, blackish above, silvery below on pectoral and pelvic fins; large silvery spots on ventral sur- face below and behind pectoral fin; yellow on dorsal and anal finlets. Length to 7 feet. Distinguished by the uniform dark steely blue colour on the dorsal surface, the yellow finlets and the large silvery spots along the ventral surface of the body. The bluefin tuna was first taken in British Columbia waters August 25, 1957, by the Fort Ross, Lat. 49° N, Long. 134° 24' W, and another August 28, 1957, Lat. 48° 50' N, Long. 131° 06' W. In the following year a specimen was secured by the Key West Il, Lat. 51 ° N, Long. 130° W, near the northern end of Van- couver Island. These specimens were recorded in 1959 by F. Neave. The food consists of small schooling fishes, according to supply, such as anchovies and mackerel, as well as squid. The bluefin tuna in turn forms part of the food of the killer whale. Weights up to 250 pounds have been recorded. Range: Southern California to Gulf of Alaska. Pacific bonito Sarda lineolata (Girard) 1858 Body elongate, fusiform; caudal peduncle slender, keel on each side. Head pointed, conical; mouth terminal, moderate; gill rakers below angle of first gill arch, 16 or 17. Fins: dorsal (2), XVIII-1, 12 interspace much less than length of pectoral fin, spinous fin long, high anteriorly, finlets, 8 or 9; anal II, 11, origin below posterior end of rayed dorsal, finlets, 6 or 7; pelvic, I, 5, thoracic; pectoral, shorter than head, extending barely beyond corselet, triangular; caudal, lunate. Lateral line: irregularly wavy. Scales: cycloid, small; covering body; in corselet, large; corselet large, prominent. Colour: dark metallic blue on dorsal surface, shading into silvery on ventral surface; blackish stripes, 10 or 11, narrow stripes extending backward and upward along upper portion of body. FIGURE 131. Pacific bonito. Sarda lineolata (Girard) 1858 226 Length to 3 feet. Distinguished by the slender caudal peduncle with finlets above and below, the very short interspace between the dorsal fins and the 10 or 11 narrow stripes extending obliquely along the upper portion of the body. The Pacific bonito was first taken in British Columbia waters in September, 1900, near Rivers Inlet and was recorded in 1909 by F. Kermode as Sarda chilensis Cuvier and Valenciennes. This specimen is now represented by a cast in the Provincial Museum at Victoria. A second individual, 30-1- inches in total length, recorded in the same year as from Victoria, was taken in a salmon trap at Otter Point near Sooke and is also in the Provincial Museum. Individuals are caught occasionally off the west coast of Vancouver Island. The bonito is a fish of the open ocean appearing in large schools along the California coast where its food consists principally of squid and various fishes. It is an important food fish, has an excellent flavour when baked and is valued as a sport fish as well. Range: Southern California to northe rn end of Vancouver Island. Skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis (Linneaus) 1758 Body elongate, fusiform; caudal peduncle slender, keel on each side. Head pointed, conical; mouth terminal, moderate; gill rakers below angle of first gill arch, 35 to 43. Fins: dorsal (2), XV or XVI-14 to 16, interspace much less than length of pectoral fin, spinous fin long, high anteriorly, finlets, 7 or 8; anal, II, 12 to 14, origin below posterior end of rayed dorsal, finlets, 6 to 8; pelvic, I, 5, thoracic; pectoral, shorter than head, not extending beyond corselet, tri- angular; caudal, lunate. Lateral line: nearly straight to point below rayed dorsal FIGURE 132. Skipjack tuna. Katsuwonns pelamis (Linneaus) 1758 227 88744-8-15 1 fin, sharply decurved, then straight. Scales: cycloid, small, covering upper anterior portion of body only; corselet present. Colour: dark metallic blue on dorsal surface, shading into silvery on ventral surface; black to dusky stripes on lower portion of body, 4 or 5, narrow, longitudinal. Length to 3 feet. Distinguished by the slender caudal peduncle with finlets above and below, the very short interspace between the dorsal fins and the 4 or 5 narrow longi- iudinal stripes along the lower portion of the body. The skipjack tuna was first taken in British Columbia waters on July 6, 1943, in Barkley Sound and recorded in the same year by J. L. Hart. The specimen, 252' inches in total length, is now in the collection of the Biological Station at Nanaimo. A second individual was caught in a gill net on September 16, 1958, off the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait on the "Bonilla-Tatoosh line", by E. Olafsen. The skipjack tuna is a fish of warm oceanic seas where it usually occurs in large schools. In southern California waters it forms a very important part of the commercial fishery and is also an excellent game fish on light tackle. The food consists of small fishes and plankton crustaceans. Range: Southern California to Vancouver Island. Pacific mackerel Pneumatophorus japonicus (Houttuyn) 1780 Body elongate, fusiform; caudal peduncle slender, keel absent. Head conical; mouth terminal, moderate. Fins: dorsal (2), VIII to X-I, 12, interspace greater than length of pectoral fin, spinous fin short, high, triangular, finlets, 5 or 6; anal, IT, 11, origin slightly behind that of rayed dorsal, finlets, 5 or 6; pelvic, I, 5 thoracic; pectoral, shorter than head, triangular; caudal, lunate. Lateral line: slightly wavy. Scales: cycloid, very small; covering body; in corselet, slightly enlarged. Airbladder, present. Colour: metallic steel blue on dorsal surface; silvery on ventral surface; irridescent blackish stripes, 25 to 30, irregular, wavy, extend- ing obliquely forward across back to short distance below lateral line. Length to 22-12 inches. Distinguished by the slender caudal peduncle with 5 or 6 finlets above and below, the long interspace between the dorsal fins and the 25 to 30 irregular wavy blackish stripes across the back and down the sides of the body. The Pacific mackerel was first taken in British Columbia waters on November 30, 1904, at Nanaimo. The 2 specimens secured were recorded in 1909 by F. Kermode as Scomba colias Gmelin. The species was listed in 1946 by Clemens and Wilby as Pneumatophorus diego (Ayres). The mackerel is very abundant at times off the west coast of Vancouver Island where many tons are sometimes obtained in purse seines. Small numbers enter the Strait of Georgia and small schools have been observed in the vicinity of Prince Rupert. Spawning has not been observed in British Columbia waters but is known to take place 228 off the California coast from late April through July near the shore, usually at depths down to 50 fathoms. A female may produce as many as half a million eggs. These are pelagic and hatch in about 3 days. Some individuals mature in their second year and the length of life may extend to 9 or 10 years. The food consists of a varied diet of crustaceans, squids and small fishes. This is an excel- lent food fish of fine flavour, especially when baked or broiled.