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{{Taxobox
| name = Striped bass
| status=VU
| image = Striped_Bass.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Striped bass
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| classis = [[Actinopterygii]]
| ordo = [[Perciformes]]
| familia = [[Moronidae]]
| genus = ''[[Morone]]''
| species = '''''M. saxatilis'''''
| binomial = ''Morone saxatilis''
| binomial_authority = ([[Johann Julius Walbaum|Walbaum]], 1792)
}}
The '''striped bass''' (''Morone saxatilis'', also called Atlantic striped bass, stripers, linesiders, rock, pimpfish or rockfish) is the [[List of U.S. state fish|state fish]] of [[Maryland]], [[Rhode Island]], [[South Carolina]], and the state saltwater (marine) fish of [[New York]] and [[New Hampshire]]. They are also found in the Minas Basin and Gaspereau River in Nova Scotia Canada.

== Morphology and lifespan ==
The striped bass is a typical member of the [[Moronidae]] family in shape, having a streamlined, silvery body marked with longitudinal dark stripes running from behind the gills to the base of the tail. Maximum size is 200&nbsp;cm (6.6&nbsp;ft) and maximum scientifically recorded weight 57&nbsp;kg (125&nbsp;US pounds). Striped bass are believed to live for up to 30 years.<ref>{{FishBase species|genus=Morone |species=saxatilis |year=2007|month=March}}</ref>

==Distribution==
===Natural distribution===
Striped bass are native to the [[Atlantic]] coastline of [[North America]] from the [[St. Lawrence River]] into the Gulf of Mexico to approximately [[Louisiana]]. They are [[anadromous]] fish that migrate between fresh and salt water. Spawning takes place in fresh water.

===Introductions outside their natural range===
Striped bass have been [[Exotic species|introduced]] to the Pacific Coast of North America and into many of the large [[reservoir|reservoir impoundments]] across the United States by state game and fish commissions for the purposes of recreational fishing and as a predator to control populations of [[American gizzard shad|gizzard shad]].<ref>[http://www.arkansasstripers.com/striped-bass-management-plan.htm Striped Bass Management Plan] retrieved on 10 June 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chap21.htm Pennysylvania State Fish & Boat Commission, Gallery of Pennsylvania Fishes, Chapter 21.] Retrieved 10 June 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/notes/harden.htm Indiana Fish and Wildlife, Evaluation of Striped Bass Stockings at Harden Reservoir.] Retrieved 10 June 2007.</ref> These include: [[Elephant Butte Lake]] in New Mexico; [[Lake Ouachita]], Lake Norfork, [[Beaver Lake (Arkansas)]] and [[Lake Hamilton]] in Arkansas; [[Lake Powell]], [[Lake Pleasant Regional Park|Lake Pleasant]], and [[Lake Havasu]] in Arizona; Castaic Lake, [[Pyramid Lake (California)|Pyramid Lake]], [[Silverwood Lake]], [[Diamond Valley Lake]], [[Lake Cumberland]], and [[Lake Murray (California)|Lake Murray]] in California; Lake Lanier in Georgia; [[Reelfoot Lake]], Tennessee; and [[Lake Mead]], Nevada; and in Texas, [[Lake Texoma]], [[Lake Tawakoni]], [[Lake Whitney (Texas)|Lake Whitney]], [[Possum Kingdom Lake]], and [[Lake Buchanan (Texas)|Lake Buchanan]].

Striped bass have also been introduced into waters in [[Ecuador]], [[Iran]], [[Latvia]], [[Mexico]], [[Russia]], [[South Africa]], and [[Turkey]] primarily for [[sport fishing]] and [[aquaculture]].<ref>{{FishBase species|genus=Morone |species=saxatilis |year=2007|month=March}}</ref>

==Environmental factors==

The [[spawn (biology)|spawning]] success of striped bass has been studied in the [[San Francisco Bay]]-Delta water system, with a finding that high [[total dissolved solids]] (TDS) reduce spawning. At levels as low as 200 mg/L TDS there is an observable diminution of spawning productivity.<ref>Kaiser Engineers, California, ''Final Report to the State of California, San Francisco Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Program'', State of California, Sacramento, CA (1969)</ref>

Former [[President of the United States]] [[George W. Bush]] in an [[Executive order (United States)|Executive Order]] on October 20, 2007 designated the Striped Bass as a protected game fish. This prohibits sale of Striped Bass caught in Federal waters and encourages states to consider designating Striped Bass as a protected game fish within state waters.<ref>{{cite press release
| title = "Executive Order: Protection of Striped Bass and Red Drum Fish Populations"
| publisher = "Office of the Press Secretary"
| date = October 20, 2007"
| url = "http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071020-4.html"
| accessdate = "October 21, 2007" }}</ref>

== Life cycle ==
[[Image:Striped bass FWS 1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Illustration of a group of striped bass]]
Striped bass spawn in freshwater and although they have been successfully adapted to freshwater habitat, they naturally spend their adult lives in saltwater (i.e., it is [[anadromous]]). Four important bodies of water with breeding stocks of striped bass are: [[Chesapeake Bay]], [[Massachusetts Bay]]/[[Cape Cod]], [[Hudson River]] and [[Delaware River]]. It is believed that many of the rivers and tributaries that emptied into the Atlantic, had at one time, breeding stock of striped bass. One of the largest breeding areas is the Chesapeake Bay, where populations from Chesapeake and Delaware bays have intermingled.<ref>[http://www.chesapeakebay.net/striped_bass.htm Chesapeake Bay Program, ''Striped Bass'']</ref> There are very few successful spawning populations of freshwater striped bass, including [[Lake Texoma]] and the [[Arkansas River]] as well as [[Lake Marion (South Carolina)]] that retained a landlocked breeding population when the dam was built; other freshwater fisheries must be restocked with hatchery-produced fish on an annual basis. Stocking of striped bass was discontinued at Lake Mead in 1973 once natural reproduction was verified.<ref>Wilde, G. R. and L.J. Paulson. 1989. Food habits of subadult striped bass in Lake Mead Arizona-Nevada. The Southwestern Naturalist 34(1) 118-123.</ref>

==Hybrids with other [[Moronidae|bass]]==
Striped bass have also been hybridized with [[white bass]] to produce [[hybrid striped bass]] also known as '''sunshine bass''', '''palmetto bass''', or '''wiper''' with the [[white perch]] to produce [[white perch hybrid]] also known as '''Virginia bass''' or '''Maryland bass'''; and [[yellow bass]] to produce [[paradise bass]]. These hybrids have been stocked in many freshwater areas across the U.S.<ref>[http://dnr.state.il.us/fish/06/Striped_Bass_Hybrid_report.pdf Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Status of the Striped Bass/Hybrid Bass Bass Fishery March 2006] retrieved 10 June 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chap21.htm#hybrdbs Pennysylvania State Fish & Boat Commission, Gallery of Pennsylvania Fishes, Chapter 21.] Retrieved 10 June 2007.</ref>

== Fishing for striped bass ==
{{Main|Striped bass fishing}}
[[Image:StripedBass.JPG|thumb|right|Striped bass caught in the Atlantic Ocean off the [[New Jersey]] coast.]]
Striped bass are of significant value as [[sport fishing]], and have been introduced to many waterways outside their natural range. A variety of [[angling]] methods are used, including [[Troll (angling)|trolling]] and [[surf fishing|surfcasting]]. Striped bass will take a number of live and fresh baits including [[Atlantic menhaden|bunker]], [[clams]], sandworms, [[herring]], [[bloodworms]],[[mackerel]] with [[shad]] being the best bait for freshwater striper fishing. The largest striped bass ever caught by angling was a 35.6&nbsp;kg (78.5&nbsp;lb) specimen taken in [[Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]] on September 21, 1982.<ref>New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife</ref>. The record-holder is Albert McReynolds, who fought the fish from the beach for an hour and twenty-minutes before landing it in the surf.<ref name="test">[http://books.google.com/books?id=nOeP_sCyFAgC&source=gbs_navlinks_s David DiBendetto, On The Run, An Angler's Journey Down the Striper Coast], page 195</ref>

Recreational limits vary by state. You should consult your state's fishing regulations for details on number and size limits.

==Management==
The Striped bass population declined to less than 5 million by 1982, but efforts by fishermen and management programs to rebuild the stock proved successful, and in 2007, there were nearly 56 million fish, including all ages. Recreational anglers and commercial fisherman caught an unprecedented 3.8 million fish in 2006. The management of the species includes size limits, commercial quotas, and biological reference points for the health of the species. Overfishing of striped bass no longer occurs, which can be seen in their impressive comeback.<ref name="asmfc-striped bass">
{{cite web
| url = http://www.asmfc.org/speciesDocuments/stripedBass/profiles/speciesprofile.pdf| title = Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: Striped Bass
| accessdate = 2009-07-02
}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
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[[Category:Fishkeeping]]
[[Category:Sport fish]]
[[Category:Moronidae]]
[[Category:Fish of North America|Bass, Striped]]
[[Category:Fauna of Delaware and Maryland|Bass, Striped]]

[[fr:Bar rayé]]
[[hu:Csíkos fűrészessügér]]
[[nl:Gestreepte zeebaars]]
[[ja:ストライプドバス]]
[[zh:銀花鱸魚]]

Revision as of 19:24, 4 February 2010

well, sheee-it.