Adult Yellow Perch Abundance Remains Low, Second Year of Perch Recruitment Detected

Catches of adult yellow perch (total catch = 35 perch) remained low at our two annual sampling sites similar to the low catches in 2014 and 2015. We like to see a yellow perch population comprised of multiple year classes including older, larger individuals that anglers prefer and that may have higher reproductive success.

Yellow perch seining in 2016 yielded a good catch of young-of-year. While not as strong as the record number of age-0 yellow perch sampled in 2015, this is a significant change from the relatively poor recruitment that we had seen over the previous 4 years (2011-2014) and during the 1990s.

These results are encouraging; however, additional strong year classes will be needed for a recovered and stabilized yellow perch population and fishery. Additionally, these young perch will need to find adequate food, survive and grow over the next few years before they reach a harvestable size and contribute to the angler harvest.

Source: GREAT LAKES BASIN REPORT