Young of the year indx 2003

[cheferson]

2003 Striped Bass Young-Of-Year Survey Shows Highly Successful Reproduction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 2, 2003) — Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary C. Ronald Franks announced today that the 2003 striped bass (rockfish) juvenile index is 25.8, the fifth highest ever measured in the 50-year history of the survey. The long-term average is 11.9.
During this year’s survey, DNR biologists collected 3399 young-of-year (YOY) striped bass. The Upper Bay index was the highest documented since 1970. Reproduction in the Potomac and Choptank Rivers was more than double the historic average in these areas. Reproduction in the Nanticoke River was slightly above average.

Most anadromous fish, which are species that migrate from the ocean to fresh water to spawn, showed very poor reproduction during the drought conditions of 2002. This year, however, they benefited from the spring rains and mild temperatures. Yellow perch in the Upper Bay reproduced at near-record levels. White perch spawned highly successfully in all areas surveyed. American shad reproduction in the Potomac River and Upper Bay was high for the fourth consecutive year.

DNR biologists have monitored the reproductive success of striped bass in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay annually since 1954. Twenty-two survey sites are located in the four major spawning systems: the Choptank, Potomac, and Nanticoke Rivers and the Upper Bay. Biologists visit each site monthly from July through September, collecting fish samples with two sweeps of a 100-foot beach seine. The index is calculated as the average catch of YOY striped bass per sample.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted