Commercial harvest of yellow perch in the Great Lakes region can not meet market demand. Additional controls being placed on commercial harvest, while consumer demand and high perch prices have generated renewed interest in perch aquaculture. Attempts to establish commercial perch culture have faced three major constraints: 1) seasonal supply for fingerlings, 2) feeding fry practical feeds, and 3) providing optimum growth conditions. Stunted 3-5 inch perch could be harvested from wild populations or raised in farm ponds to provide a year-round source of larger fish for intensive culture using waste heat. Stunted perch are not acceptable to most anglers and have no comercial value. Various harvesting, holding and transportation methods and prophylactic treatments will be tested to minimize stress and disease. Perch will be fed practical feeds immediately or will be converted from live feeds (minnows) to practical feeds over a 10-14 day period. Fish converted to practical feeds will be fed commercially available fish feeds to determine growth rates at 20oC. Comparisons between stunted and non-stunted perch will be used to determine if stunted perch exhibit growth compensation and if the added growth (weight gain) is fat or protein (muscle). Results from phase I research could provide solutions to the major constraints to commercial perch aquaculture.
