The yellow perch population in the Chesapeake Bay has declined over the last 50 years.
Yellow perch spend their entire lives in the same river.
They will migrate up to the fresh water part of their river to lay their eggs. This is called spawning. Since the late 1970's Anne Arundel County has seen a variety of development along its shorelines and creeks including houses, malls, roads, marinas, etc. Many of these places were the homes and spawning grounds of the yellow perch. Most species of fish are not able to replenish their population with the increasing number of people harvesting them.