black perch
Embiotoca jacksoni
Dark surfperch of rocky shores and kelp beds of the Mexican Pacific, which lives in small groups a few meters deep. It is of little importance to anglers.
Also called: perca-negra, mojarra negra, black perch
- maximum
- 39 cm
- record/max.
- 0.7 kg
- depth
- 0–46 m
who is the black perch
Surfperch of the family Embiotocidae, which lives mainly on rocky shores near algae, and sometimes on sand in bays, near piers and pilings. It reaches 39 cm and 700 g. It lives from the intertidal zone down to 46 m deep, but is most common around 6 m. It forms small groups. It is viviparous: the female carries the young until birth. It occurs from Fort Bragg, in California, to central Baja California, including Guadalupe Island. It is commercially fished and appears in public aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the black perch; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Surfperch with a short, tall body and a dark color. It lives over rocky shores and algae, which helps separate it from the surfperches that live on sandy beaches. On the same coast, the striped surfperch (Embiotoca lateralis) has horizontal blue stripes and reaches 38 cm, and the kelp perch (Brachyistius frenatus) is much smaller, at 22 cm.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
From Fort Bragg, in California, to central Baja California, including Guadalupe Island; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on rocky shores and among algae.
Habitat: Rocky shores and algae, near the coast, usually around 6 m deep.
rules for the black perch
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has no venomous spine and is safe to handle. Fish carefully among the rocks and the tide, where it lives.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02951, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Embiotoca jacksoni (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Embiotoca jacksoniNames by country and language.
