Perca flavescens

Inhabits lakes, ponds, pools of creeks, and rivers. Also found in brackish water and in salt lakes. Most commonly found in clear water near vegetation; tends to shoal near the shore during spring (Ref. 9988, 10294). Feeds on immature insects, larger invertebrates, fishes and fish eggs during the day. Preyed upon by fishes and birds (Ref. 1998). Spawns between February and July in the northern hemisphere and between August and October in the southern hemisphere (Ref. 10999). Neither anterolateral glandular groove nor venom gland is present (Ref. 57406). Marketed fresh or frozen; eaten pan-fried, broiled or baked (Ref. 9988).

British Columbia, Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone [Pacific part], Coastal Waters of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, FAO fishing area 67, North East Pacific, North Pacific, North West Territories

North America: Atlantic, Arctic, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins from Nova Scotia and Quebec west to Great Slave Lake in Northwest Territories in Canada, and south to Ohio, Illinois and Nebraska in the USA; south in Atlantic drainages to Santee River in South Carolina, USA.

Yellow perch, Perca flavescens, are north temperate fish. They extend from west central Canada and the Hudson Bay area east to New Brunswick, down to South Carolina and west to Kansas (Clay 1975; Herman et al 1959).

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: This species is native throughout much of northern North America east of the Rockies in Atlantic, Arctic, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins, from Nova Scotia and Quebec west to Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, and south to Ohio, Illinois, and Nebraska, and south in Atlantic drainages to Santee River, South Carolina. It has been introduced in most western states and elsewhere.

North America.

Adult yellow perch are usually golden yellow; young are usually more whitish. There are 6 -- 8 dark vertical bars on the sides of these fish. Their eyes are green to yellow. They have a spiny dorsal fin with 12 -- 14 spines and a second dorsal fin with 12-13 soft rays plus 2-3 spines (Craig 1987; Herman et al 1950). There is usually a blackish blotch on the membrane between the last 3 or 4 dorsal spines. Their anal fin has 2 spines and 7-8 soft rays. The lower fins of adults are usually tinged yellow or red; this is especially noticeable on males during breeding season. The lateral line is prominent and curved with 51-61 scales along it. Yellow perch have rough feel because they have ctenoid scales (Clay 1975; Herman et al 1959).

Adult yellow perch usually grow 10 to 25.5 cm in length, occasionally they can reach 35.6 cm, but these are older fish than most (Walden 1964; Clay 1975). There is sexual dimorphism in yellow perch. Females grow faster and reach a greater ultimate size than males. There is a 2.5 cm length difference in seven-year-old fish (Herman et al 1959; Craig 1987). The growth rate of perch varies greatly from one body of water to another. Yellow perch are particularly prone to stunting, a condition where fish are smaller in size than other fish populations in the same geographic region (Heath and Roff 1996; Herman et al 1959).

Average mass: 150 g.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Average mass: 1055.25 g.

Maximum size: 500 mm TL

50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9988)); max. published weight: 1,910 g (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 11 years (Ref. 12193)

Length: 31 cm

benthopelagic; freshwater; brackish; depth range ? - 56 m (Ref. 11004), usually ? - 9 m (Ref. 1998)

Yellow perch are found mainly in lakes and sometimes in impoundments of larger rivers. Clear water is important as excessive turbidity and silt could lead to death of perch. Perch do however have a high tolerance for low oxygen conditions. They inhabit water of moderate temperature, avoiding cold deep water and warm surface waters during the summer. Young perch generally inhabit shallower water than larger ones, though as temperature increases all move to cooler, deeper water (Walden 1964; Herman et al 1959).

Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds

Depth range based on 281 specimens in 1 taxon.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 116

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 116
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Habitat Type: Freshwater

Comments: Yellow perch are usually in clear weedy backwaters or pools of creeks and small to large rivers, shallow waters of lakes, and large ponds. Often they are associated with heavy growths of aquatic plants in lakes. They occur and spawn in brackish water in some areas. Spawning occurs in spring or late winter over submerged beds of aquatic plants or brush, or over sand, gravel, or rubble, in quiet water (Moyle 1976, Sublette et al. 1990). Sometimes they migrate into tributary streams or from brackish to freshwater to spawn (Scott and Crossman 1973). Eggs are deposited at depths of up to 4 meters (Sublette et al. 1990).

Depth: 0 - 56m.
Recorded at 56 meters.

Habitat: benthopelagic.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

May migrate from lakes into tributary rivers to spawn, or into fresh water from brackish water (Scott and Crossman 1973).

Inhabits lakes, ponds, pools of creeks, and rivers. Also found in brackish water and in salt lakes. Most commonly found in clear water near vegetation; tends to shoal near the shore during spring (Ref. 9988). Feeds on immature insects, larger invertebrates, fishes and fish eggs during the day. Preyed upon by fishes and birds (Ref. 1998).

Young of the year yellow perch feed on zooplankton, then as they grow they switch to benthic macroinvertebrates and finally fish (Gerking 1994). In Lake Erie and other lakes, young of the year switch from mainly zooplankton to benthos during midsummer declines in zooplankton biomass (Post and McQueen 1994; Roseman 1996).

Yellow perch have small backward slanting teeth lining the jaws and gill rakers that strain out small pelagic food sources from the water (Herman et al 1959). Their mouth is subterminal which makes it easy for them to feed at the bottom (Parrish and Margraf 1990). Yellow perch swallow their food whole (Weatherly 1972). They switch to prey longer than 1.7 mm when they reach total lengths of 60 - 75 mm (Schneberger 1991). In large fish, the net energy gained by eating large prey, such as benthos and fish, outweighs the disadvantages of capture and digestion (Mills et al 1989).

Comments: Larvae and young primarily zooplankton feeders; older young eat mostly invertebrates associated with bottom and with aquatic plants; adults feed among plants and along bottom on larger invertebrates and small fishes (Moyle 1976).

Perca flavescens (Perca flavescens yellow perch) is prey of:
Salvelinus fontinalis
Hirundinidae
Perca flavescens
Micropterus salmoides
Ambloplites rupestris
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Umbra
Diacyclops thomasi
Mesocyclops edax

Based on studies in:
Canada: Ontario (River)
USA: Wisconsin, Little Rock Lake (Lake or pond)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Perca flavescens (Perca flavescens yellow perch) preys on:
Chironomidae
Plumatella
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Ambloplites rupestris
Leptodora kindtii
Diaptomus minutus
Diacyclops thomasi
Mesocyclops edax
Tropocyclops prasinus
Epischura lacustris
Bosmina longirostris
Eubosmina
Daphnia galeata mendotae
Daphnia parvula
Diaphanosoma birgei
Holopedium gibberum
Polyphemus pediculus
Conochilus unicornis
Conochiloides
Kellicottia longispina
Kellicottia bostoniensis
Keratella cochlearis
Keratella taurocephala
Keratella crassa
Keratella hiemalis
Polyarthra remata
Polyarthra vulgaris
Trichocerca cylindrica
Asplanchna
Gastropus
Synchaeta
Copepoda
Monogonanta
Alona affinis
Alona quadrangularis
Alona rustica
Alona intermedia
Alona excisa
Disparalona acutirostris
Chydorus
Acantholeberis curvirostris
Ophryoxus gracilis
Scapholeberis kingi
Sida crystallina
Macrocyclops albidus
Eucyclops serrulatus
Acanthocyclops
Microcyclops rubellus
Eucopepoda
Leptophlebia
Caenis
Oecetis
Mystacides
Molanna
Polycentropus
Climacia
Vellidae
Notonectidae
Sialis
Eoparagyractis
Bezzia
Sphaeromais
Chaoborus punctipennis
Albabesmyia
Clinotanypus
Djalmabatista
Guttipelopia
Larsia
Macropelopis
Procladius
Chaetocladius
Corynoneura
Cricotopus
Nanocladius
Micropsectra
Paratanytarsus
Tanytarsus
Cladopelma
Cryptochironomus
Endochrionomus
Glyptotendipes
Microtendipes
Parachironomus
Paratendipes
Polypedilum
Pseudochironomus
Stenochironomus
Stictochironomus
Xenochironomus
Campeloma decisum
Sphaeriidae
Oligochaeta
Crangonyx gracilis
Perca flavescens
Micropterus salmoides
Hydroporus
Limnephilus
Agrypnia
Banksiola
Anisoptera
Libellula
Sympetrum
Enallagma
Chironomus
Hirundinidae
Tricladida
Arthropoda
Umbra
Actinopterygii
Notemigonus crysoleucus

Based on studies in:
Canada: Ontario (River)
USA: Wisconsin, Little Rock Lake (Lake or pond)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Tends to form loose schools.

Comments: Feeding activity mostly diurnal, with peaks in morning and at dusk (Moyle 1976). Inactive at night, rests on bottom (Scott and Crossman 1973). Active in winter beneath ice or in deep water (Scott and Crossman 1973).

Nonobligatory plant spawner.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 12.0 years.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 8.0 years.

Female yellow perch mature at ages two to four, males usually mature one year earlier. Spawning takes place in the spring (April through early May) when the water temperature reaches 45 - 52°F (Craig 1987; Herman 1959). The average number of eggs laid per female is 23,000. After deposition the eggs rapidly swell and harden. Eggs hatch in 8 -10 days and the emerging the fish are 4 - 7 mm in length.

Yellow perch larvae have large mouths, well-developed jaws, teeth and eyes. They begin active feeding at 7.0 mm but still absorb food from the yolk sac. At 21- 27 mm the fins are fully developed with spines and rays. The fish become fully scaled at 36-37 mm. After hatching, the larvae first appear nearshore and then become pelagic (move offshore) and remain so until their fins fully develop (Craig 1987; Fischer and Willis 1997; Walden 1964). Yellow perch are relatively short-lived fish, few over seven years old are ever caught (Herman et al 1959).

Average time to hatching: 16 days.

Average number of offspring: 100000.

Spawning occurs in spring or late winter. Eggs hatch in about 10-20 days. In the north, males become sexually mature in 2-3 years, females in 3-4 years (Moyle 1976, Becker 1983, Scott and Crossman 1973). Females may spawn up to about 8 times in their lifetime; maximum age is about 10 years (Bart and Page 1992).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 9
Specimens with Barcodes: 124
Species With Barcodes: 1

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 9 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Historic data on yellow perch are not plentiful, but commercial catch records from the Great Lakes show the perch population had regular periodic fluctuations between 1930 and 1964. Populations decreased in the 1960's but had rebounded in the early 1980's. Alewife predation and competition with yellow perch larvae is thought to be the primary reason for the drastic decline. Other factors include overfishing, competition with other exotics such as rainbow smelt, and nutrient loading, which degraded spawning grounds (Jude and Leach ; GLFC 1997; Francis et al 1996).

Yellow perch populations fell dramatically again in Lake Erie in the 1990's. The exact cause is unknown but is probably related to loss of suitable habitat (macrophyte beds), recruitment failure, zebra mussels, and competition with white perch, an exotic (GLFC 1997). The most recent decline is also occurring in the other great lakes. The average age increase and lack of young of the year perch in Lake Michigan suggests that year class failure is occurring early in the life cycle. Severe spring weather, predation by alewives, and competition with other planktivores are possible causes of post-larval perch mortality (Francis et al 1996).

Ohio closed its gillnet fishery in 1984 to protect yellow perch populations in Lake Erie. Extensive studies on yellow perch throughout its range have helped to increase understanding of what factors most affect perch populations. Interagency efforts to reduce overfishing and protect spawning perch are also being implemented (Ruetter and Hartman 1988; Francis et al 1996; GLFC 1997).

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Comments: Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.

Not Evaluated

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

No negative effects known.

Yellow perch are economically important in terms of a food source and recreation. Yellow perch support a commercial fishery in Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron. The peak commercial catch of yellow perch in Lake Erie was 13,546 tones in 1969. The 1980 - 1984 Canadian yellow perch commercial catch represented 55% of the value of all fish landed in Lake Erie by Canada (Craig 1987; GLFC 1997; Jude and Leach ). Yellow perch are also a very popular sport fish that contributes lots of tourism and recreation dollars to the economy. About 85% of the sport fish caught in Lake Michigan are yellow perch (Francis et al 1996). Sport anglers' catch in Lake Erie in 1984 was 58 times larger than the commercial catch (Ruetter and Hartman 1988).

Comments: Extensively cultured in U.S. in first half of 1900s; production much lower at present (see Sublette et al. 1990).

Illegal introductions of yellow perch and bluegill led to demise of trout fishery in reservoir in northern Utah (Pettengill and Knight 1987).