In comparison to the bocaccio, it has a smaller mouth with an upper jaw that extends only to about the center of the eye, not past it.

[4] Sebastes goodei is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the western coast of North America from Queen Charlotte Sound in British Columbia[1] south to Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur.

[5] The adults are demersal fish and can be found on rocky reefs, and also on sand and mud substrates in deepwater while the young are pelagic and live shallower water.

Rockfish have internal fertilization, eggs incubate and embryos hatch in the ovaries, with subsequent extrusion of larvae.

[5] Sebastes goodei is an important commercial target species in Californian waters and are taken mainly by hook and line, gill nets, and trawls.

The fall in landings is thought to be a result of reduced fishing effort due to conservation measures designed to protect the stocks of other rockfish species.