Golden Redfish

Sebastes norvegicus is a large and stocky bodied species of rockfish. Like other scorpionfishes this species has comparatively large fins which have long spines and rays. The caudal fin is weakly truncate while the anal, pectoral and pelvic fins are rounded and the dorsal fin is continuous. The dorsal fin contains between 14 and 16, typically 15, robust spines and 13 to 16, normally 14 or 15, soft rays, while anal fin has 3 spines and about 8 soft rays. There are 1 or 2 spined points above the jaw on the preorbital bone but the ridge below the eye has no spines and is rather weakly defined. There are 5 spines on the preoperculum which are all about the same length. There are spines on the supracleithrum and there are 2 spines on the operculum, the lower one being normally directed downwards and slightly towards the rear, infrequently downwards and forwards. There are also nasal, preocular, supraocular, post-ocular and parietal spines. There is normally no knob on the symphysis of the lower jaw, but if there is on it is a rounded protuberance. The golden redfish reaches a maximum total length of 100 cm (39 in), although 45 cm (18 in) is more typical, and a maximum published weight of 15 kg (33 lb). The overall colour is vivid red with a dusky patch to the rear of the operculum.

Sebastes norvegicus is found from the Kattegat and the northern part of the North Sea north along the coast of Norway to the western coast of Spitsbergen, the southern part of the Barents Sea and east as far as the Kanin Banks and Novaya Zemlya shoals and it is rare in the White Sea. It is a common species off Iceland and off southeastern Greenland. Elsewhere, along western coast of Greenland. In the western Atlantic it is found as far south as Flemish Cap, the Grand Banks and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Juveniles can be found in fjords, bays and inshore waters, while the adults are found off the coast at depths between 100 and 1,000 m (330 and 3,280 ft). Fish living in deeper waters are larger than those living in shallow offshore waters.

Sebastes norvegicus appeared on a 15+5 pfennig semi-postal stamp of West Germany in 1964.