Updated 2023-12-07 18:58:53
Lake Ontario -> 1.0 Nearshore Zone Goal -> Yellow Perch
Reporting Interval
2014 - 2019
Area
Meeting Target?
Meets
Indicator Trend
No trend
Confidence?
Medium
Maintaining or increasing fisheries, populations and recruitment of Yellow Perch
The indicator of progress for Yellow Perch was not met for Lake Ontario and was maintained for the Bay of Quinte.
Between the previous time period (2008-2013) and current time period, average Yellow Perch abundance decreased in both New York waters (by 46%) and Ontario waters (by 52%) of the eastern basin of Lake Ontario. Average abundance in the Bay of Quinte was similar between the two time periods but fluctuated annually.
Commercial harvest remained low for Yellow Perch. Harvest increased somewhat in New York waters and decreased in Ontario waters compared to the previous reporting period (2008-2013).
Figure 1. Average catch-per-unit effort (CPUE, fish per net) of Yellow Perch in standard gillnets set overnight during summer in northeastern Lake Ontario (Ontario and New York’s waters) and the Bay of Quinte (1992-2019).
Figure 2. Commercial harvest (pounds) of Yellow Perch from Ontario and New York waters of Lake Ontario, 1972-2019 (OMNR 2022; LaPan 2014).
Methodology
Catch per unit effort was calculated for gillnets set overnight during the summer (June-August) in eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. For the eastern basin of Lake Ontario, data is presented for Lake Ontario waters and New York waters.
For the Bay of Quinte and Ontario waters of the eastern basin, a unit of effort was standardized to represent one gillnet gang of 10 monofilament mesh panels (mesh sizes ranging from 1.5-6 inches) each 15.2 meters long and 2.4 meters high. In the Bay of Quinte, two sites were used, Hay Bay (set at 8 meters and 13 meters) and Big Bay (set at 5 meters). In Ontario waters of the eastern basin, three depth stratified sites were used, Melville Shoal, Grape Island and Flatt Point (depths included 7.5, 12.5, 17.5, 22.5, and 27.5 meters). Mean CPUE was taken across sites and areas before being averaged by year. Detailed information can be found on OMNRF, 2022.
In New York waters of the Eastern basin, nets were set from 3.7-30.5 meters of water, distributed among three depth strata and five geographic strata to ensure no larger basins were missed. Gillnet gangs consisted of nine monofilament mesh panels (mesh sizes ranging from 2-6 inches) each 15.2 meters long and 2.44 meters high. Depth-stratified CPUEs are presented, with catches weighted by relative area represented by each depth zone. Detailed information can be found in Goretzke, 2021.
Other Resources
Goretzke, J.A. 2014. 2021 eastern basin of Lake Ontario warmwater fisheries assessment, 1976-2021. In 2021 annual report, Bureau of Fisheries Lake Ontario Unit and St. Lawrence River Unit to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Lake Ontario Committee. Section 4. NY State Dept. Environ. Conserv., Cape Vincent, NY.
Lantry, J.R., Hoyle, J.A., Mathers, A., McCullough, R.D., Walsh, M.G., Johnson, J.H., LaPan, S.R., and Weseloh, D.V. 2014. Nearshore fish community. In The state of Lake Ontario in 2008. Edited by A.C. Adkinson and B.J. Morrison [online]. Available from http://www.glfc.org/pubs/SpecialPubs/Sp14_01.pdf [accessed 09 September 2017].
LaPan, S.R. 2014. Lake Ontario commercial fishery summary, 2000-2013. In 2013 annual report, Bureau of Fisheries Lake Ontario Unit and St. Lawrence River Unit to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Lake Ontario Committee. Section 20. NY State Dept. Environ. Conserv., Cape Vincent, NY.
OMNRF (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry). 2022. Lake Ontario fish communities and fisheries: 2021 annual report of the Lake Ontario Management Unit. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, Picton, ON, Canada.
Contributing Author(s)
- S. Beech - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
- J. Goretzke - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- E. Brown - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry