The bocaccio rockfish was first formally described in 1854 by the American zoologist William Orville Ayres with the type locality given as California.

Shallow water kelp forests and oil platforms also help these fish avoid danger, as they can use them to dodge and hide from predators.

[11] Certain effects of strong and weak upwelling affect the bocaccio's food sources and the survival of its larvae.

Commercial fishermen tend to target bocaccio due to their abundance and longer shelf life.

Studies off of Southern California oil platforms show they have produced a slight increase on bocaccio population.

In January 2001 the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) received a petition to list the southern population of bocaccio as a Threatened species under the U.S.

The southern distinct population segment of bocaccio is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service Species of Concern.

Endangered Species Act[16] On October 29, 2007, NMFS received a petition from Mr. Wright to list the Puget Sound DPS of bocaccio under the ESA.