Family Anoplomatidae

Common names:  sablefish or blackcod and skilfish

Distribution:  Only two species in the family both in the North Pacific.  The sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria is found from the surface (juveniles) to 1800 meters.  Its depth range is shifted towards deeper water towards the south so that sablefish may be found at depths of 100 meters or less off of Canada but it is not encountered at depths less than ~400 meters off of southern California.  The largest fish are found in the deepest water.  The skilfish, Erilepis zonifer, is restricted to the continental shelfs and does not enter deep water.  Both fishes are benthic but the sablefish has been encountered up to about 200 meters off the bottom in very deep water.

General description and features:  Sablefish are large, robust fishes with a fairly sleek profile.  They are dark brown to black on their sides and top and a pale color on their belly. 

Feeding:  These fishes are amongst the top predators on the continental slope.  They eat a wide variety of fish, cephalopods, large crustaceans, and they will also eat carrion.  They are well known members of the scavengers attracted to baited cameras placed on the seafloor.

Reproduction and life history:  Sablefish are targeted extensively by commercial fishermen longlining and/or trawling on the contintental slope.  These fish are fairly slow growing.  Recently a maximum longevity for these fish was estimates at 114 years!  The fish reach reproductive maturity much sooner than this.  Fish spawn in the winter months and may move into deeper water to do so.  Larvae are planktonic

A. fimbria photographed in the Santa Catalina Basin off southern California at 1300 meters depth (Photo by K. L. Smith).