SANTA FE – About 20 years ago, yellow perch were illegally placed into Eagle Nest Lake in northeastern New Mexico, where they since have become overpopulated. Now, biologist believe they may serve a purpose elsewhere.

The perch have had impacts to Eagle Nest’s primary species, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon due to competition for resources. However, they are expected to enhance angler opportunities at Abiquiu Lake, where growing populations of walleye and smallmouth bass are eager to eat them.

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish fisheries staff recently spent two days capturing and transporting approximately 7,000 of the perch from Eagle Nest to Abiquiu.

While the perch are viewed as a detriment to the Eagle Nest fishery, biologists believe the translocation to Abiquiu will improve the fishery there by increasing the prey base for walleye and smallmouth bass.

Game and Fish personnel, along with a group of Moreno Valley High School students caught 55 perch at Eagles Nest in early February that were sent to a lab and tested for diseases to make sure the translocation would be safe to the existing fish populations at Abiquiu.