ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland recreational anglers face a reduced daily catch limit for yellow perch in tidal waters and nontidal streams and rivers this year, with the cap dropping to five fish per person from 10, amid concerns over six years of low recruitment and population declines.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the change via public notice in early January 2026, maintaining the 9-inch minimum size for keepers. The adjustment applies to yellow perch, scientifically known as Perca flavescens, in Chesapeake Bay tributaries and freshwater streams but excludes reservoirs, lakes, ponds and upstream waters.
Carrie Kennedy, director of monitoring and assessment for DNR’s Fishing and Boating Services, attributed the decision to spawning challenges, including habitat conditions. We believe this is an appropriate modification to improve the odds of better year classes, Kennedy said.
DNR fisheries managers cited data from surveys showing a more than 50% drop in upper Chesapeake Bay yellow perch abundance since 2009, driven by below-average recruitment. The annual Choptank River fyke net survey, ongoing since 1988, has recorded abundance at or near historic lows in recent years, mirroring upper Bay trends. Biologists do not view recreational fishing pressure as the primary cause but point to factors like poor reproduction, habitat degradation, predation and disease.
The change aims to reduce harvest of larger females, preserving spawning stock biomass to boost reproduction and juvenile survival across Bay tributaries. Commercial total allowable catch has already declined, averaging 36,000 pounds annually since 2009, from 59,662 pounds in 2018 to 14,184 pounds in 2024. Commercial rules include an 8.5- to 11-inch slot limit and closures outside the upper Bay, Patuxent and Chester rivers.
While recreational harvest estimates are unreliable, the prior 10-fish limit dated to 2009, when it increased from five. DNR hopes the reversion will aid recovery without overhauling other regulations.
In Southern Maryland, the Patuxent River supports a yellow perch fishery open to commercial harvest under the TAC system. Anglers in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties often target perch during late-winter spawning runs in tributaries like the Patuxent and Potomac rivers. The reduction could limit catches for locals participating in this seasonal tradition, potentially affecting family outings or small-scale tournaments.
Broader effects include enhanced conservation, as lower limits may increase spawning success and recruitment, per DNR models. A 2025 young-of-year index from the Estuarine Juvenile Finfish Seine Survey showed above-average Bay-wide results, the highest since 2018, offering hope for 2026 improvements in the Upper Bay Winter Trawl Survey.
However, anglers may experience frustration from curtailed harvests, especially given yellow perch’s popularity as a tasty, early-season fish adapting to brackish Bay waters from South Carolina to Nova Scotia. DNR recommends releasing pre-spawn females and focusing on post-spawners downstream as voluntary measures.
Economically, the change supports DNR’s fish conservation funded by fishing licenses, tackle, boat and fuel sales. Licenses are available online via MD Outdoors or at agents. Rules for nontidal waters like Deep Creek Lake remain unchanged, detailed in the Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing or eregulations website.
State records highlight the species’ appeal: In 2025, Thomas Dembeck Jr. of Hydes caught a 2.3-pound, 16-inch yellow perch in the lower Susquehanna’s tidal waters, breaking a 1979 Chesapeake division mark.
DNR’s action aligns with adaptive management, responding to survey data without banning harvest. If recruitment rebounds, limits could rise, but persistent issues like habitat loss from development or climate-driven salinity changes may require further steps, such as restoration projects in rivers like the Choptank or Patuxent.
In Charles County, perch fishing draws visitors to areas near Indian Head or along the Potomac, boosting local bait shops during winter. Calvert County’s Patuxent access points see similar activity. St. Mary’s County anglers target perch in the lower Potomac, where the limit applies.
Overall, the reduction seeks to balance recreation with sustainability, preventing overharvest amid environmental pressures. DNR monitors via annual assessments to adjust as needed.