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White Perch

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White Perch White perch are abundant year-round in Chesapeake Bay and found in all its tributaries. An important species, both recreationally and commercially, they can grow up to 48 cm (1.6 ft).
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White Perch White perch are a semi-anadromous species, meaning they travel to fresh and low salinity waters to spawn. This migration typically occurs from April through June.
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White Perch Juvenile striped bass and white perch (bottom), which are both part of the temperate bass family known as Moronidae, often exhibit a striking similarity in their appearance. These two juvenile species are commonly found coexisting in similar habitats.
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White Perch While white perch (top) and silver perch may be similar in name, they are actually from distinct families. White perch belong to the Moronidae family (temperate basses) while silver perch belong to the Sciaenidae family (drums).

  • This species first recruits to the survey gear in May.
  • The Young-of-Year cutoff values are:
    • August: 0-80 mm.
    • September: 0-85 mm.
    • October: 0-85 mm.
    • November: 0-130 mm.
    • December: 0-165 mm.
    • January: 0-165 mm.
    • February: 0-165 mm.
    • March: 0-165 mm.
    • April: 0-95 mm.
    • May: 0-35 mm.
    • June: 0-65 mm.
    • July: 0-73 mm.
  • Index months are in bold. 
  • In 2018, the recruitment window for juvenile White Perch was changed from the period December to February to the new period between August and October. Similarly, the recruitment window for White Perch age 1+ was changed from November to February to the new period between August and October.
  • Because White Perch are restricted in their distribution, an index of abundance is calculated for each tributary. Only stations in the upper portions of the river are used.

Data collected after the transition to a new vessel and net (June 2015) have been adjusted by a species-specific calibration factor.

White Perch Excel file