White Perch

 

 in the Parker River

 This information was provided by the Parker River Basin Team

The white perch (Morone americanus), avidly sought by recreational anglers, utilize the Parker River as spawning habitat. Unlike landlocked white perch found in many Massachusetts lakes and ponds, Parker River white perch exhibit a true anadromous reproductive strategy. Sexually mature adults run upstream from the saline lower estuary to deposit their eggs in freshwater. The reach of river located immediately downstream from the Central St. bridge is the major spawning area. The annual spawning run is a springtime event generally coinciding with "apple blossom" time. Both adults and juveniles spend the majority of their lives feeding and growing in the brackish waters of the lower Parker River - Plum Island Sound Estuary.