Updated 2024-12-11 14:41:44
Lake Huron -> 2.0 Percid (Walleye and Perch) -> Yellow Perch Yield
Reporting Interval
2018 - 2022
Area
Saginaw Bay
Meeting Target?
N/A
Indicator Trend
Downward trend
Confidence?
High
2.2.2. Combined commercial and recreational yield in Saginaw Bay
The Yellow Perch population in Saginaw bay is greatly depressed relative to historic levels. Yield for this reporting period was at a historic low. Trawling surveys indicate that Yellow Perch are reproducing well, but age-0 individuals are not surviving to the yearling life stage. Mortality between age-0 and age-1 is often over 90%. This is attributed to heavy predation by the abundant Walleye population and other predators. Neither the recreational or commercial fishery is driving abundance. They are both similarly depressed. The few Yellow Perch that are surviving are growing very fast and exceeding the state average rate.
Total fishery yield of Yellow Perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, 1891-2022.
Methodology
Historic yields (before 1986) are commercial reporting. Yields since then are mainly from recreational creel surveys. Some yield data was estimated from numbers of fish and average weight per fish.
Other Resources
Contributing Author(s)
- David Fielder, Jeff Jolley - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Chris Davis, Arunas Liskauskas, Stephen James, and Jason Ritchie - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
- Mike Rucinski - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service