The Expansion of White Perch,Morone Americana, In the Lower Great Lakes

White perch, Morone Americana, first appeared in the Laurentian Great Lakes system in 1951 and flourished in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The species extended its range to Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair and more recently (1983) to Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Self sustaining populations of white perch are now established in western Lake Erie (1974) and Lake St. Clair (1979). Factors contributing to successful colonization by white perch include: suitability of habitat within the range, ability to spawn over a variety of substrates, and high egg production.