Another So So Year for Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass

MDDNR puts a happy spin on it: Survey Finds Healthy Striped Bass Reproduction

The Maryland Department of Natural Resourcesannounced results of its annual young-of-year striped bass survey in Chesapeake Bay, which documented healthy reproduction of the state fish. The 2018 young-of-year index is 14.8, higher than the 65-year average of 11.8.

Known locally as rockfish, striped bass spawn in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries each spring. The juvenile striped bass survey is conducted annually to measure spawning success and help predict future abundance. The index represents the average number of young-of-year – those hatched in the current year – striped bass captured in each sample.

During this year’s survey, department biologists collected more than 36,000 fish of 55 species, including 1,951 young-of-year striped bass. Results show that white perch and American shad also experienced above-average spawning success this spring.

“Consecutive years of healthy reproduction is a great sign for the future of this iconic species,” Fishing and Boating Services Director David Blazer said. “The survey results are encouraging and complement our efforts to conserve and protect the striped bass fishery throughout the watershed for the benefit of anglers, commercial watermen and the species.”

But as I wrote last year, when we had a similar near average YOY: "The inter-annual variation is huge, and while an average year is OK, it's not really a big deal. The population is made or broken with the really good years, which produce many times the "average.""

Wombat-socho has Early Morning With Rule 5 Monday: Coffee FFS ready for your digital pleasure at The Other McCain.