Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Fish caught off the Malibu Pier, Malibu, California, August 2019. Length: 16.5 cm (6.5 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Fish caught from Elephant Rock, Tiburon, California, August 2019. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Kenneth Tse, Toronto, Canada.

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Cruz, California, July 2016. Length: 25 cm (10 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of Andrew Hansen, Santa Cruz, California.

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Fish provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater San Diego area, San Diego, California, October 2014. Length: 27 cm (11 inches).

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Cruz, California, September 2023. Length: 28 cm (11 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.

Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters off La Jolla, California, July 2019. Photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

The Black Perch, Embiotoca jacksoni, is a member of the Surfperch or Embiotocidae Family, that is also known as the Black Surfperch and in Mexico as mojarra rayas negras. There are two global species in the genus Embiotoca, both found in Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The Black Perch have highly compressed deep oval bodies with a depth that is 45% to 49% of standard length. Despite their common name, they are uniformly dark reddish-brown to tan in color with large darker colored vertical bars across their flanks. Their mouth has thick lips that are yellowish and some fish have a mustache above their upper lip. Their caudal and pelvic fins are orange or red with gold and dark blue stripes. They have the ability to change colors to camouflage as a defense mechanism. A key to identification is the presence of a patch of enlarged scales between their pectoral and pelvic fins. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 23 to 27 rays; their caudal fin is forked; their dorsal fin is continuous with 9 to 11 spines and 18 to 22 soft rays; and their pectoral fins have 20 to 22 rays. They have 20 to 23 gill rakers. Their body is covered with small scales.

The Black Perch is a common inhabitant of rocky areas near kelp beds, over sandy bottoms in coastal bays, and around piers and piling. They are found in the surf zone and to depths up to 73 m (240 feet) but rarely below 24 m (80 feet). They have a tendency to relocate to deeper waters during warm water episodes. They reach a maximum of 39 cm (15 inches)  in length and 0.7 kg (1 lb 8 oz) in weight. Both males and females are of equal size. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 0.68 kg (1 lb 8 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Monterey, California in March 2019. They are carnivores collecting in small groups and feeding diurnally on small invertebrates (including amphipods), bryozoans, mollusks, and worms. Smaller fish act as cleaner fish consuming ectoparasites from each other and from other fish species. They are not territorial with the exception of a few large males that will defend the caves used for breeding and shelter. Reproduction is viviparous and takes place in deeper waters from December to May with courting occurring in aggregations of up to 20 fish. Gestation lasts 5 to 6 months with each female producing 5 to 17 fry annually that are 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) in length; larger females produce larger quantities of fry. They are fast-growing and short-lived fish.  They have lifespans of nine years.

The Black Perch is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found only from Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

The Black Perch is straightforward to identify due to its body profile and coloration and is therefore not easily confused with any other species.

From a conservation perspective the Black Perch is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are small in stature but are considered to be an excellent game and food fish. They are caught via hook and line and gill nets and by spear fishermen. In the last twenty years, their populations have significantly declined which is attributed to fishing pressure, predation, and habitat and food supply losses.