Slight improvement documented, but spawning success is still below average
A juvenile striped bass caught and released by a survey crew in the Nanticoke River. Photo by Joe Zimmermann, Maryland DNR.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) 2025 juvenile striped bass survey recorded a young-of-year index of 4.0. This is an improvement over recent years, but still well below the long-term survey average of 11. This marks the seventh consecutive year of low spawning success for striped bass. The annual survey tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in Chesapeake Bay.
“Management actions taken over the last decade have resulted in a healthy population of spawning-age striped bass,” said Maryland DNR Fishing and Boating Services Director Lynn Fegley. “However, continued low numbers of striped bass entering the population is a threat to this progress as there are fewer juveniles growing into spawning adults. Maryland will continue working with partner states along the coast to ensure responsible management of striped bass given recent low reproduction rates.”
During this annual survey, fishery managers sample 22 sites located in four major striped bass spawning areas: the Choptank, Nanticoke, and Potomac rivers, and the upper Chesapeake Bay. Biologists visit each site three times per summer, collecting fish with two sweeps of a 100-foot beach seine net. The index represents the average number of 3-inch or less juvenile striped bass caught in each sweep of the net.
Similar fish surveys were conducted this summer in the Patapsco, Magothy, Severn, Rhode, West, and Tred Avon rivers, and St. Clements and Breton bays. Those surveys, which were conducted outside the annual survey locations, found even fewer young-of-year striped bass.
Biologists captured more than 36,000 fish of 55 different species while conducting this year’s survey. Positive findings include three important forage species that were documented in abundance during the survey. Atlantic menhaden and bay anchovies were widespread in the Bay for the third consecutive year. Atlantic silversides were plentiful compared to last summer. These species are vital to the ecology of the Bay as a food source for many other species of fish and wildlife.
Efforts to rebuild the Atlantic Coast population of striped bass to previous high levels have been underway for several years and are ongoing. Through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Coalition, Maryland and other states that border the Atlantic Ocean have implemented management actions aimed at rebuilding the striped bass spawning stock. Those measures include reductions to catch limits, increased protections for spawning fish, tighter slot limits, and season closures. Recent population estimates indicate healthy adult populations, despite the downturn in juvenile spawning rates.
However, droughts and warm conditions in winter continue to negatively impact the survival of striped bass eggs and larvae, which are very sensitive to water conditions and food availability in the first several weeks after hatching. Other species that migrate to freshwater to spawn such as white perch, blueback herring, and American shad also experienced below-average reproduction this year. Low levels of reproduction will likely guide future conservation measures considered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science conducts a similar survey in the southern portion of Chesapeake Bay.
