Freshwater Fishes of the Columbia Basin Return to Table of Contents Return to Species List

Introduced Fishes: Family Percidae (Perch)

Distribution of introduced catfish and perch species
in the Columbia Basin (RBCM collections)

Perca flavescens (Mitchill)	Yellow Perch
Perca=ancient name meaning dusky flavescen=yellowish

Yellow Perch is a widely distributed species that is native to lakes, ponds and slow-moving fresh and brackish waters east of the Continental Divide. Populations of Yellow Perch currently found in the Columbia Basin probably originated from Washington State where they were widely introduced in 1890 (Carl et al. 1967).

The Yellow Perch is currently established in the lower Columbia (including the Pend D' Oreille), upper Kootenay, lower Kootenay, Similkameen rivers and Okanagan system.

Yellow Perch are a laterally compressed, spiny fish with two completely divided dorsal fins, the first of which is heavily spined. The lateral surfaces are patterned with banded markings.

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Stizostedion vitreum (Mitchill)	Walleye
Stizostedion=pungent throat vitreum=glassy, referring to the large eye

The native distribution of Walleye includes most of Canada east of the Continental Divide. Walleye are one of the most important sport fish in Ontario and the Prairie provinces, where they are commonly known as Pickerel. Adult Walleye are currently established in the lower Columbia, below Castlegar, B.C., and it is likely that their distribution will expand up river in time. Walleye are common in Roosevelt Lake (reservoir) in Washington State, and it is likely that this species moved upstream into the Canadian portion of the lower Columbia River. There has been a single juvenile specimen collected in the Kettle River and it is likely that a reproducing population resides further down river. It is estimated that in the Columbia Basin this exotic piscivorus species preys heavily on salmon smolts (McMahon and Bennett 1996).

Walleye have a long, cylindrical body with two well-developed dorsal fins, the first of which is stoutly spined. The leading edge of the anal fin is preceded by two, sharp spines.