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White
Perch
Habitat and Diet:
White perch usually live in estuaries (a place where fresh
water and salt water mix, such as the Chesapeake Bay). They
can also live in fresh water, as in the Great Lakes.
White perch are known to eat the eggs of many species native
to the Great Lakes, such as walleye and other true perches. At
times, fish eggs are 100% of their diet. They prefer to eat small
minnows like mud minnows and fathead minnows.
Relationship to humans:
Some states consider the white perch to be a nuisance species
due to its ability to destroy fisheries. They have been
associated with the declines in both walleye and white bass
populations because they feed heavily on bait-fish used by
those species and out-compete them for food and space. Many
states have enacted laws forbidding possession of live white
perch
Fun/Unusual fact:
The white perch is not a true perch but is a member of the bass
family.