2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The perch / Perca fluviatilis / is a fish of the perch family. It is widespread in Asia and Europe, and in recent years the perch is seriously bred in Bulgarian reservoirs. The perch is a hardy and unpretentious predator, which is already a major target for fishing.
It survives in oxygen-poor waters in which most fish would die. The perch inhabits the Danube River, the lower and middle reaches of most rivers, ditches and dams. You can also find it in semi-saline waters. Nowadays there is almost no reservoir in Bulgaria, where there is none perch. This is what makes it the main goal of anglers.
The body of the perch is short, laterally flattened and covered with small, deeply fused skin scales. Its color varies greatly according to habitat - from light green to oily green, in some cases almost grayish black. On both sides of the perch body from five to nine black transverse stripes. In addition, there are two dorsal fins, the first consisting of prickly and the second of softer rays. The pectoral fins are yellow and the caudal and anal fins are red.
The perch is considered a long-lived fish because, according to some data, its life expectancy reaches 22-24 years. On the other hand, there is a very slow growth rate. The maximum perch sizes mentioned by the various sources are very controversial, with a weight of 2.5 kg being considered a record, but it is possible to have perch up to 4 kg.
The perch breeding season is from the beginning of March to the middle of April in the southern reservoirs, and for the high mountain dams - from the beginning of April to the middle of May.
Types of perch
Most experts determine the presence of two types perchinhabiting the Bulgarian reservoirs. The first is small / grassy /, and the second is large / deep-water /. The small one perch adheres to year-round habitation of the coastal zone, grows very slowly. It feeds on both invertebrates and small fish and caviar. It is said that it reaches a maximum weight of 200 g.
The big perch feeds mainly on fish, inhabits the deep places of the reservoirs and grows at a fast pace. For limit sizes, a weight between 1.5-3 kg is determined.
According to most fishermen, the species of perch in our country is only one. They believe that just individual specimens are ahead of the others in their growth and that is why there are such serious differences in the weight of the perch. Most likely, the smaller perch simply lag behind in their development.
Composition of perch
Perch is rich in potassium, sodium, vitamin A, B6, B12, B5, C, iron, calcium, niacin, riboflavin, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and zinc. It contains histidine, niacin, cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine and others.
100 g of raw perch contain 114 calories, 18 g of protein, 3.7 g of fat, 0 g of carbohydrates, 70 mg of sodium, 356 mg of potassium, 200 mg of phosphorus, 12.6 mg of selenium, 80 mg of calcium, 1 mg of vitamin B5, 2 mg of vitamin C, 75 ml of water.
Selection and storage of perch
Choose perchwho has a healthy appearance and a clear view. Blurred eyes are a sign of a long-caught fish. The perch, like many other types of fish, should be cooked immediately or at the latest the day after purchase, because it is not very durable. Store perch in the refrigerator. When frozen, the meat retains its taste for 3-4 months.
Perch in cooking
The perch has translucent meat, with excellent taste. The problem that arises with it is cleaning. If you do not want to peel his skin, it should be cleaned either on the spot while he is almost alive, or immersed in boiling water.
After cleaning the perch, you will be left with only small fillets, which have pure white meat without bones and a characteristic smell of fish. As it turned out, the meat that remains is not much, so it is good to eat mostly fried in a lot of fat or make soup. If you are not a fan of fried food, you can bake it in the oven. Perch is used for fillets and canned food.
Benefits of perch
Consumption of perch brings a number of health benefits. It is useful for the skin and mucous membranes, for the digestive and nervous systems. Regulates blood sugar levels and is an excellent source of antioxidants. Its meat contains large amounts of phosphorus, and phosphoric acid is involved in the construction of numerous enzymes, the main drivers of chemical reactions in cells. Perch meat is low in fat, which makes it suitable for diets and combating the threat of obesity.
