Stock Status - Concern - 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. Harvest is 53% below the 10-year average. Federal aid project F-80 began in March 2004 to fulfill data needs for upcoming Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Data are currently not yet sufficient to evaluate status.

Average Commercial Landings and Value 1997-2006 – 72,946 lbs./$70,128

2006 Commercial Landings and Value – 34,599 lbs./$34,815

Average Recreational Landings 1997-2006 - Unknown 2006 - Unknown

Average Number of Award Citations 1997-2006 - N/A 2006 - N/A

Average Recreational Commercial Gear Landings for 1997-2006 - N/A 2006 - N/A

Status of Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) - No state or federal plan. A. state plan is scheduled to begin in 2008.

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

Current Regulations (2007) - None

Harvest Season - Open year round

Size and Age at Maturity - Males - 5 inches/2 years old, Females - 6 inches/3-4 years old.

Historical and Current Maximum Age – 13 years/9 years

Juvenile Abundance Index 2004–2006 – 0.4, 2006 – <0.1 (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, contact Michael Loeffler at michael.loeffler@ncmail.net (800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911).