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DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME 



PILE PERCH 



Damalichfhys vacca 



Relationship: A member of the salt-water perch family, Embiotocidae. 



Distinguishing Characters: See page 76. The deeply forked tail; the sharply 

 elevated first dorsal rays which are about twice as long as the last dorsal spine. Length 

 to about 16 inches. Color: Somewhat blackish or brownish with a silver luster above, 

 becoming silvery on the sides and belly ; at times with dark blotches on the back and 

 sides ; fins dusky. Some specimens are almost entirely silvery. 



Distribution: Alaska to northern Lower California. Common along sandy 

 shores. 



Fishing Season: All year excepting the closed commercial season. 



Importance: A moderately important commercial species, especially in the 

 Monterey Bay fishery. 



Fishing Gear: See page 76. Seen fairly often in purse seine catches of sardines. 



Unauthorized Names: Split-tail perch, white perch, porgee, forktail perch. 



