#2587 - Perca fluviatilis - Redfin Perch
Finland's National Fish. First described in 1730 by the Swedish naturalist Peter Artedi (considered the Father of Icthyology) and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Yet another fish introduced to New Zealand as a game fish, although while it originates in Europe the ones in New Zealand were collected from Tasmania. And just like the Brown Trout and Brook Char, have become an absolute menace to native species since their introduction. Even more galling, despite them being in NZ waters since the 1870s, they were mostly ignored for the next 120 years by anglers who preferred to target the Salmonids anyway.
A declared noxious species in New South Wales, but apparently quite edible. In some parts of New Zealand fishermen are encouraged to catch and eat as many as they can. Rarely over 2kg as an adult, although the world record was near 4.
Hokitika National Kiwi Centre, Aotearoa New Zealand.
