A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California

by Valerie A. Kells, Luiz A. Rocha, Larry G. Allen

Overview

From the Arctic waters of Alaska to the southern tip of California, this fully illustrated guidecaptures the stunning diversity of fishes along the western coastlines of the United States and Canada. The combined work of renowned marine science illustrator Val Kells and distinguished ichthyologists Luiz A. Rocha and Larry G. Allen, A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California is this region’s most current and thorough fish identification guide.

Whether you are an angler, scuba diver, naturalist, student, or teacher, you will find every fish you’re trying to identify, each shown in lifelike detail. The book’s coverage extends fromshallow, brackish waters to depths of about 200 meters.

Key features include
· Over 950 illustrations of adults, juveniles, and color variants
· Descriptions of 157 fish families and almost 700 species
· Text presented adjacent to the illustrations
· Concise details about the biology, range, and distribution of each species

Poised to become your go-to reference, this guide will find a welcome spot on your boat, in your backpack, or on your bookshelf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421418322
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	02/21/2016
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Val Kells is a widely recognized marine science illustrator. She is the coauthor and illustrator of A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Maine to Texas and the illustrator of Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay. She has illustrated numerous public aquarium exhibits. Luiz A. Rocha is an associate curator and the Follett Chair of Ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences. He has authored or coauthored over seventy research papers and articles. Larry G. Allen is a professor and the chair of biology at California State University–Northridge and the president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.He is the coauthor ofThe Ecology of Marine Fishes:Californiaand Adjacent Waters.

What People are Saying About This

Phillip A. Hastings

"A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California is a most welcome addition to the books on fishes of the West Coast. Identifying features of nearly 700 species are primarily based on details of coloration, beautifully illustrated by Val Kells' vibrant color paintings that seem to jump off the page. This book and A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Maine to Texas, also illustrated by Kells, provide complete coverage of all shallow-water marine fishes from the continental United States. Professional ichthyologists and amateur fish enthusiasts alike will want to own copies of these beautifully illustrated guides to the country's marine fishes."

Peter Gray

"With all the protected species, anglers need to make positive IDs of the fish they catch. This will be a great resource for West Coast anglers. Illustrations are very clear, and the script is concise but detailed. Every sport fishing and private boat should have a copy aboard."

Ray Troll

"Val Kells is one of the most extraordinary fish illustrators I've ever seen. Her keen attention to detail and exquisite aesthetic sense are truly astounding. This outstanding guide to the fishes of the West Coast that she has assembled with Luiz Rocha and Larry Allen is the ultimate guide to the piscine wonders of the deep. It will be the standard for decades to come."

Randy Hamilton

"Ed Ricketts would have been proud of the dedication that went into this field guide. Quality illustrations and easy-to-read text make this book a must-have for any fisherman, diver, or aquarist."

Executive Producer Michael Fowlkes

Having fished the Pacific coast my entire life, I've never seen anything that even comes close to this incredible book. Clean, straightforward and easy to read. The consummate guide to our waters. The dead-nuts-on accurate and absolutely beautiful illustrations alone are worth the price of admission.

Michael Fowlkes

"Having fished the Pacific coast my entire life, I've never seen anything that even comes close to this incredible book. Clean, straightforward and easy to read. The consummate guide to our waters. The dead-nuts-on accurate and absolutely beautiful illustrations alone are worth the price of admission."

Milton Love

"Destined to become the classic guide to fishes of the Pacific coast for generations of fish aficionados."

Research Biologist Milton Love

Destined to become the classic guide to fishes of the Pacific coast for generations of fish aficionados.

Chris Lowe

"Kells, Rocha, and Allen have put together a fantastic field guide illustrated with accurate detailed paintings as well as current and relevant information on features, habitat, and biology. This will be a great resource for fish biologists, fishers, and enthusiasts. Clearly, decades of experience and knowledge are wrapped up in this guide—can't wait to add it to my library."

Gregor Cailliet

"An up-to-date, well-organized, and beautifully illustrated compact field guide to fishes of the Pacific U.S. and Canada covering shallow (less than 200 m) coastal brackish and marine fishes.Organized by orders and families, it contains descriptions of features, habitats, biology, and wonderful, detailed color drawings of each species. This will become the new reference for the region."

Bart Hall

"Val Kells, Luiz Rocha, and my good friend Larry Allen have demonstrated their passion for and knowledge of Pacific marine fishes in this book. A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes: From Alaska to California is the result of an outstanding collaboration that will prove to be an asset to anglers and marine biologists alike."

Janna Nichols

"Fish geeks rejoice! Thanks to Val Kells' beautiful illustrations and unrelenting attention to detail, the West Coast SCUBA diving community has a terrific new book to use in their quest to identify those pesky mystery fish encountered on their dives. Sculpin 'a-fishy-onados' will be especially thrilled with the extensive list of species represented."

Editorial Reviews

"A must have for those with an interest in the marine fishes of the West Coast."

Birdbooker Report

"This book will soon become your go-to identification guide, and is compact and durable enough with water resistant pages to throw in your dive bag, fishing tackle box, or field sampling gear. Together with Kells’s previous book on fishes from Maine to Texas, you will be prepared to identify almost any coastal species you come across in the continental United States."

Copeia

"This new guide to Pacific coast fishes from Johns Hopkins University Press would be a great addition to any Oregon Master Naturalist's library."

Oregon Master Naturalist Program

"A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes by Kells, Rocha, and Allen is a wonderful field guide that would be a welcome addition to any dive bag or tackle box... I cannot recommend this book enough to anglers, divers, hobby naturalists, and students alike. It is a musthave for anyone who wants to quickly and accurately identify a Pacific Coast fish on the go."

Environmental Biology of Fishes

"No one creates as beautiful coloured illustrations of marine fishes... I recommend all libraries consider adding it to their collection."

Reference Reviews