California Giant Black Sea Bass Page

California Giant Black Sea Bass ( Stereolepis gigas )

This page contains pictures that were taken at Cathedral Cove on the East end of Anacapa Island in August 2001. I was diving off the dive boat Liberty out of Ventura, CA. Anacapa Island is the Eastern most island in California's Channel Islands.

All photos are taken with a Sea & Sea Motor Marine II-EX Pro using a 20mm lens, a YS-120, and YS-60 strobe.

This fish was approximately 5 feet long and 300+ pounds.

I put this page up NOT because these are great shots...they are not. I put this page up because it is remarkable that any of these amazing sea creatures are still alive and I thought them worth sharing...

Up until the late 1960s California's Giant Black Sea Bass were overfished to the point where they were at a minimum, commercially extinct. Fortunately, they were then placed under strict protection. Under this protection they are STARTING to reappear and some of us have had the great pleasure of seeing them.

All images © Jonthan Wallace.

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