Sacramento Perch: A Native Sunfish on the Cusp of a Comeback


Key Highlights :

1. The Sacramento perch survived floods in the 1860s and was so abundant that it was a regular staple in San Francisco's markets before invasive species decimated its population.
2. Today it is relegated to mostly isolated lakes, reservoirs and ponds with few predators.
3. But as the planet heats up and threatens many cold-water game fish species like trout, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, thanks in part to its ability to tolerate warm water and extreme conditions.
4. State officials recently introduced Sacramento perch to Southern California in an effort to widen its range, strengthen its gene pool , create a breeding stock and generate interest among more anglers.
5. Biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife released the first batch of 37 mostly juvenile Sacramento perch on Thursday evening in San Diego County's only natural lake , Lindo Lake in Lakeside, a suburb east of the city of San Diego.
6. "It's a native game fish that we can promote as a viable fishery in the future where we may not be able to have trout in certain areas because of climate change and warming waters," environmental scientist Matt Lucero with the department said after releasing the fish in batches.
7. The multiyear experiment reflects the changes facing sportfishing as rivers, streams, lakes and ponds warm. Climate change is the biggest threat to the survival of trout in America's interior West, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
8. Sacramento perch will never replace trout, state biologists said. Instead, the focus is on preserving a native species , and as an added benefit, the fish could allow anglers another option as temperatures rise, limiting seasons for cold-water species in some places.
9. Max Fish, the department's senior environmental scientist overseeing the efforts, said the hope is it can be introduced to fishing spots in more urban areas.
10. Tiffany Turner of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which advocates for conservation to help anglers and hunters, said California is smart to act now to expand the habitat of climate-resilient fish, though she expects some resistance initially in a sport that is steeped in traditions.
11. "Anglers are going to have to adapt if we want to keep doing what we love," she said.
12. Biologists say the iridescent green and purple fish, whose markings and long spiny dorsal fins hint at its legacy dating back 15 million years, stands out for its ability to thrive in everything from cold mountain lakes to warm stagnant, brackish water.
13. Sacramento perch's resiliency allowed it to survive the catastrophic floods that wiped out much of Central California more than 160 years ago.
14. But its numbers plummeted by the early 20th century with the introduction of non-native species, including other more aggressive sunfish from the midwestern United




     California is home to a unique species of sunfish – the Sacramento perch. This fish was once abundant in San Francisco's markets, but invasive species decimated its population. Today, the Sacramento perch is mostly restricted to isolated lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. But with climate change threatening cold-water game fish species like trout, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback.

     In an effort to widen the perch's range, strengthen its gene pool, and create a breeding stock, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently released the first batch of 37 mostly juvenile Sacramento perch. This multiyear experiment reflects the changes facing sportfishing as rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds warm.

     The Sacramento perch stands out for its ability to survive in a variety of conditions, from cold mountain lakes to warm, stagnant, brackish water. Its resiliency allowed it to survive the catastrophic floods that wiped out much of Central California more than 160 years ago.

     State officials hope that the Sacramento perch can be introduced to more urban areas and give anglers another option as temperatures rise. Tiffany Turner of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership said that California is smart to act now to expand the habitat of climate-resilient fish, though she expects some resistance initially in a sport that is steeped in traditions.

     Biologists released the perch in San Diego County's only natural lake, Lindo Lake in Lakeside. They are in an exploratory phase to evaluate how well the fish will do and how communities react to those fisheries. The hope is that the fish will be able to spawn in another year and lay as many as 10,000 eggs.

     Max Fish, the Department's senior environmental scientist overseeing the efforts, said that the fish could never replace trout, but the focus is on preserving a native species. Peter Moyle, a Sacramento perch expert at the University of California, Davis, applauded the state for bringing it to Southern California. He said that it is one of the best tasting freshwater fish he knows of, and it puts up a good fight.

     San Diego County officials have posted "No fishing" signs around Lindo Lake, and rangers patrol regularly during daylight hours. The best assurance is educating people about how special the Sacramento perch is.

     The Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, and state officials are taking steps to ensure its survival. With climate change threatening cold-water game fish species like trout, the Sacramento perch may be an important option for anglers in the future.



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