Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are a cornerstone of fisheries along the Atlantic Coast, supporting significant recreational and commercial harvests and serving as a key ecological indicator of estuarine and coastal health. In recent years, sustained low recruitment in the Chesapeake Bay, the primary nursery area for the coastwide stock, has raised concern among scientists, managers, and stakeholders. Recruitment is shaped by a complex interplay of environmental conditions, habitat availability, early life history processes, and the survey approaches used to monitor juvenile abundance. Understanding these drivers is essential for assessing population status, informing management decisions, and maintaining the long-term resilience of this marquee species.
This report synthesizes current knowledge on striped bass recruitment dynamics, summarizes monitoring and survey methodologies used across the region, and highlights emerging research needs that could strengthen scientific support for management. It draws on cross-jurisdictional expertise in fisheries science, habitat ecology, and stock assessment to identify priority information gaps and opportunities to improve how environmental signals and early life stages are understood and incorporated into management frameworks. The goal is to provide clear, science-based insights that advance the understanding of striped bass recruitment patterns and support effective conservation and management across the Chesapeake Bay and the broader Atlantic coast.
Image: Parson, W. 2015. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) at the National Aquarium, Baltimore. Chesapeake Bay Program.
Suggested Citation:
Kennedy, C., B. Beal, I. Braun-Ricks, P. Campfield, L. Fegley, P. Geer, C. Garvey, M. Monaco, K. Rose, D. Ryan, T. Tuckey, B. Vogt, and M. Cole. 2025. Striped Bass Survey Assessment and Habitat Connections. STAC Publication Number 25-006, Edgewater, MD. 46 pp.