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North Carolina Department of Environment Quality

NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Marine Fisheries - Yellow Perch - stock status report

Marine Fisheries
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Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch

Stock Status – Concern – There has been a significant increase in effort and landings since 1991. Fish are targeted during the winter and early spring during spawning. Yellow perch populations are rather system specific and have been heavily targeted in certain systems. Federal aid project F–80 began in March 2004 to fulfill data needs for upcoming N.C. Fishery Management Plan development. Data are currently not sufficient to evaluate status.

Average Commercial Landings and Value 2001–2010 – 57,896 lbs./$60,840

2010 Commercial Landings and Value – 57,027 lbs./$68,576

Average Recreational Landings – Not available

Status of Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) – There is no state or federal plan. A state plan is scheduled for development when adequate data are obtained.

Data and Research Needs – Validation of juvenile indices, size, age, and sex composition of commercial and recreational harvest, fecundity estimates, updated maturity estimates, gear selectivity estimates, gut content analysis, spawning area surveys, identify movement and migration patterns, evaluate similarities of age, growth, and productivity between waterbodies.

Current Regulations – None

Harvest Season – Open year round

Size and Age at Maturity – Males: 5 inches total length (TL)/2 years; Females: 6 inches TL/3–4 years

Historical and Current Maximum Age – 13 years/10 years

Juvenile Abundance Index 2004–2010 – 0.6, 2010 – 2.9 (not validated)

Habits and Habitats – Spawning occurs in rivers and creeks from late January to early March, depending on water temperatures. Eggs are laid in a sticky gelatinous mass. Eggs will hatch into fry in 2–3 weeks, depending on water temperatures. The young form schools and utilize the rivers as a nursery area, as do the adults.

For more information please contact Michael Loeffler at Michael.Loeffler@ncdenr.gov or 1-800-338-7805 or (252) 264-3911.

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries • 3441 Arendell Street • Morehead City, NC 28557 • (252) 726-7021 or 1-800-682-2632

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