Magothy River Association (MRA) volunteers are currently documenting with photographs and underwater video the spawning of the Yellow Perch in the Upper Magothy River. The spawning run began on Monday, February 27 when hundreds of fish were seen swimming up the clear stream that is called the Upper Magothy River in Pasadena between Catherine Avenue and the Lake Waterford dam/fish ladder. The male yellow perch arrive first to locate spawning sites, and the females follow. Several dozen long egg sacks, called egg chains, were photographed in this part of the stream. Each egg chain contains 5000 to 20,000 eggs. The yellow perch have been threatened by development runoff that degrades water quality in many of the tributary streams and creeks on the Magothy River. The Maryland State Habitat Protection Area law requires the County to protect Yellow Perch spawning habitat. It also requires the county to improve water quality and limit development in HPA areas. Fishing is prohibited in the tributaries during the spawning months of February, March, and April, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police have been enforcing this policy along the Upper Magothy River during these months.