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. Commercial harvest is 35% below the 10 - year average.  Federal aid project F-80 began in March 2004 to fulfill data needs for upcoming Fishery Management Plan (FMP) development. Data are currently not sufficient to evaluate status.

Average Commercial Landings and Value 1998-2007 – 69,842 lbs./$69,315

2007 Commercial Landings and Value – 45,698 lbs./$58,012

Average Recreational Landings 1998 - 2007 – Unknown, 2007 - Unknown

Status of Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) – There is no state or federal plan.  A state plan scheduled to begin 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 Average 2004 – 2007  – 0.3, 2007 – 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 please contact michael.loeffler@ncmail.net (800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911)