Black Surf Perch (Embiotica jacksoni)
Black perch are also called black surfperch and butterlips. In spite of their name, black perch, these fish are rarely, if ever, black. Their coloration can be orange, red, gray, green, various shades of brown, and other colors.
Range
Northern California (Fort Bragg) to central Baja California, Mexico (Punta Abreojos and Isla Guadalupe).
Habitat
Found in a variety of habitats ranging from natural kelp forests to pier pilings and artificial structures both with and without algae cover as well as open sand and rocky reef. Found from the surface and intertidal to depths of 73 meters (239 feet).
Size (length and weight)
The largest measured was 39 centimeters (15 inches) long and weighed 2.04 kilograms (4.5 pounds). For state angling and diving records, see our Fishing and Diving Records web page.
Life Span
Black perch usually live to between 6 and 9 years, with the oldest observed specimen being 10 years old.
Reproduction
Like other surfperch, black perch are viviparous, bearing live young. Males and females mature when they are 1-2 years old or at a length of 15 centimeters (6 inches) long. Spawning take place primarily in the spring in southern California and in the late summer-early fall in central California. There may also be year-round spawning in some southern California areas. The female surfperch stores the male’s sperm in her body until the eggs are mature (sometimes up to 6 months) before fertilization takes place. The number of young a female produces at one time increases as she ages. A four-year female will produce about 30 young. The fertilized eggs are incubated and hatch prematurely inside the female’s body. The female continues to carry the developing embryos for as long as 12 months. Nutrients and gases are exchanged through the female’s ovarian walls and the embryo’s vascular fin membranes and hind gut regions. The young are 54 to 61 millimeters (2.1 to 2.4 inches) long and fully developed miniature replicas of the adults when born.
Prey
Juveniles feed on small crustaceans and bivalves along with other small invertebrates. Adults consume marine worms, bryozoans, mollusks, crustaceans, gastropods, and external fish parasites.
Predators
Surfperch are preyed on by a variety of species including game fish, marine mammals, and birds. Predatory fish include striped bass, California halibut, Pacific bonito, lingcod, salmon, rockfishes, kelp bass, barred sand bass, and leopard shark. Surfperch also fall prey to harbor seals, river otters, and birds such as great blue heron, least tern, Caspian tern, Forster’s tern, cormorants, loons, osprey, and various gulls.
SIZE 3-5 INCH
NO FREE SHIP ON BLACK SURF PERCH
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