Rock hind (Epinephelus adscensionis) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is found at depths of 1–120 m.
Scientific name: Epinephelus adscensionis · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 65 cm
The rock hind is a demersal epinephelid that inhabits rocky reefs, and it is usually solitary and difficult to approach; juveniles are often seen in rockpools. It feeds mainly on crabs and fishes, and in the Ascension Islands on juvenile triggerfish and young sea turtles. Its flesh is of good quality and is marketed fresh, and like other groupers it is caught by angling at the right depth over an irregular bottom. It is recorded from 1 to 120 m. Its range is the western Atlantic, from Massachusetts and Bermuda to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and southern Brazil, with a separate population in the eastern Atlantic at Ascension and St. Helena islands. Maximum length is about 65 cm total length, commonly about 35 cm, and it can live 25 years, maturing at about 30.4 cm. It is a highly commercial species and a gamefish, with a very high price category. Fishing vulnerability is high at 63 of 100 and resilience low. IUCN lists it as least concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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