How do white perch reproduce?
White perch are considered “halfway” anadromous, since they do not travel from the ocean to their spawning grounds in the Chesapeake Bay’s tidal tributaries. They begin their spawning runs when water temperatures increase in late March. • Adults move upstream to fresh or slightly brackish waters. Males usually reach the spawning grounds before females. • After spawning, adults move downstream, primarily to brackish areas in the middle and lower portions of tributaries. • White perch eggs hatch in approximately one to six days. Juveniles remain in the shallows of their natal rivers through summer and fall, feeding on small insects and crustaceans and mingling with juvenile striped bass. Other facts about white perch: • White perch is a close relative of the famous striped bass. • White perch can live as long as 17 years. • It is believed that each of the Chesapeake Bay’s river systems has its own population of white perch, since this fish is unlikely to venture far from its natal stream
