Hailed by many as “the ultimate pan fish,” yellow perch is rivaled only by walleye as the most popular freshwater fish on restaurant menus. The perch are typically 6 to 10 inches long and weigh 1/2 to 1 pound. The species was one of the most important Great Lakes fisheries until the 1990s, when over-fishing and environmental degradation decimated stocks by as much as 80 percent. Today, commercial wild fisheries are limited to Canada and a few U.S. sites. However, the fish has adapted well to pond culture and intensive tank rearing. Thanks to successful aquaculture, the yellow perch supply, once seasonally limited, is now strong year-round, keeping pace with rapidly growing demand among U.S. diners. An estimated 40 aquaculture operations in the United States raise yellow perch to food size. Most commercially available yellow perch are now farmed, with wild fish accounting for just a small percentage of annual sales. The top yellow perch farming states are Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. Most commercial wild supplies are from the Lake Erie region, with Canadian fisheries dominating.