Another Bad Year for Bay Bass

The results of the annual "Young of the Year" Survey is in, and it sucks. MDDNR, Chesapeake Bay 2023 Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey Results Announced

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced results of this year’s juvenile striped bass survey, which tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in the Chesapeake Bay. The 2023 young-of-year index is 1.0, well below the long-term average of 11.1.

“The warm, dry conditions in winter and spring during the past several years have not been conducive to the successful reproduction of fish that migrate to fresh water for spawning,” said DNR’s Fisheries and Boating Director Lynn Fegley. “In response, we’re working with the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission to support management actions we can take now to protect striped bass and improve spawning success. The Department is also considering additional state-specific actions to increase protections within Maryland.”

Efforts to rebuild the Atlantic Coast population have been underway for several years and are ongoing. Low levels of spawning stock in recent years have spurred action by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages the overall population of striped bass along the Atlantic coast, including the Chesapeake Bay. In May, the Commission put in place an emergency measure that bars anglers from harvesting fish larger than 31 inches, a step to better protect large fish. In early 2024, the Commission will vote on additional regulation changes aimed at reducing striped bass deaths caused by coastwide fishing activity, including the Chesapeake Bay.

In previous years, Maryland has taken several management actions aimed at rebuilding the spawning stock—including a recreational one-fish daily catch limit, a two-week summer closure, changes in slot size, and moving season start and end dates—but changing environmental conditions may be hindering the ability for the striped bass population to quickly bounce back.

Striped bass spawning activity is temperature-driven and historically adult fish migrated to the Chesapeake Bay to spawn in April and May, which aligned with the seasonal arrival of zooplankton and other microscopic food sources that larval striped bass eat. However, recent winters have produced less-than-average snowfalls in the region and therefore less snowmelt to cool the rivers and streams where striped bass spawn.

Research has also shown Spring zooplankton production in the Bay is being altered by warmer winters. Fishery scientists are continuing to investigate whether higher temperatures earlier in the year are affecting the survivability of juvenile striped bass.

Despite the challenges striped bass face, historic spawning data have shown the ability of the overall striped bass population to increase quickly under the right environmental conditions. The species can have several years of poor recruitment followed by a productive spawning year that can bolster the overall population long-term.

Other anadromous species with similar spawning behavior such as white perch, yellow perch, and herring also experienced below-average reproduction this year.

“It’s important to remember that increasing the size of the striped bass stock does not guarantee strong reproduction,” said Fegley. “We will continue to work with other coastal states to rebuild the population so spawning can succeed when conditions are right.”

Previously, favorable environmental conditions for striped bass such as heavy winter snowfalls or higher spring rainfalls have helped produce stronger juvenile year classes. Nutrient pollution reduction efforts throughout the Bay watershed have also reduced the instances of hypoxia affecting striped bass and other fish.

Last year, while Maryland had below average reproduction, Virginia managed a just average "YOY" index. This year, we don't even have that cold comfort. From Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, An “off” year for juvenile striped bass in Virginia waters for 2023. 

Preliminary results from an ongoing long-term survey conducted by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science suggest a poor year class of young-of-year striped bass was produced in Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in 2023. The 2023 year class represents the group of fish hatched this spring that will grow to fishable sizes in three to four years.

The VIMS Juvenile Striped Bass Seine Survey recorded a mean value of 4.26 fish per seine haul in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay; this value is called a recruitment index by scientists. The 2023 value is significantly lower than the historic average of 7.77 fish per seine haul and is a notable decrease in annual recruitment compared with recent years in which catches of striped bass were rated average or above average.

So, fishermen, both recreational and commercial (including me, to some extent) will continue to mine a steadily declining  until such a time as we have a good or great year for recruitment, and three years for the young to grow to harvestable size, unless a coastwide moratorium is initiated. It's probably past time.