Research Document - 2001/058

Status of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1999 and 2000

By Douglas, S.G., Chaput, G., and R.G. Bradford

Abstract

The size of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence striped bass population in 1999 and 2000 was estimated based on mark-recapture experiments using bycatch data from the commercial gaspereau fishery of the Northwest Miramichi River. The most probable population size, generated by a Bayes algorithm was 3940 and 3900 for 1999 and 2000 respectively. Male striped bass comprised 69% of the population in 1999 and 64% in 2000. Trends in catch per unit of effort (catch/trap/day) for 1999 and 2000 were similar to other years when the population has been estimated to be less than 10,000 fish. NW Miramichi striped bass achieved a maximum of 24% of the conservation requirement in 1999 and 28% in 2000. This makes the fifth year in a row that the provisional conservation requirement has not been met. Recruitment of three-year-old males in 2000 was poor and four-year old females in 2001 is likely to be similar. The NW Miramichi striped bass population is heavily dependent upon the contribution of the 1996 year-class. The 1999 year-class is large bodied and have had good survival which is encouraging for recruitment in 2002-03. With the continued closure of commercial and recreational fisheries, and allocations to First Nations suspended, southern Gulf striped bass are under maximum management protection. A precautionary approach is warranted for southern Gulf of St. Lawrence striped bass.

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