Range Dynamics of Hudson River Striped Bass along the Atlantic Coast

Abstract

We analyzed the movements of Hudson River striped bass Morone saxatilis along the Atlantic coast from the results of a tagging program conducted in the Hudson River estuary between 1984 and 1988. Almost 30,000 striped bass were marked with internal anchor tags; most measured between 200 and 800 mm total length (TL). Interpretations of recoveries are conditional because the distribution and selectivity of fishing effort along the Atlantic coast are unknown. The proportion of total recaptures from outside the Hudson River increased significantly with fish length and by season from spring through autumn. The geographic range of recoveries extended from the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina – a coastal range of about 1,500 km. Most fish recaptured in spring had traveled north and east; recoveries from south of the New York Bight were uncommon until autumn. Many recaptures came from tributaries; far northern recaptures, in particular, tended to occur in rivers or near river mouths. Mean monthly distances between the Hudson River and recapture sites were highest from June through October and increased significantly with fish length. Comparisons with previous studies suggested that the effective coastal range of Hudson River striped bass has expanded since midcentury, especially that of 200–400-mm TL fish. Recapture of a Hudson River-tagged striped bass off Cape Hatteras supports previous winter trawling studies that suggested that large Hudson River striped bass join schools of mixed origin that winter off the mid-Atlantic coast.