Bass-ty Weather

A NOAA scientist has a theory that striped bass populations in the Chesapeake and along the East Coast are falling not because of overfishing, but because a repeating weather pattern is limiting their food supply. NPR reported  on Bob Wood’s ideas.

Comments

[Joseph F. Bouchard, Ph.D., Virginia Beach]

Tom and Chuck,
The NPR piece did not have sufficient detail to understand this issue. My question is, does the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation affect striped bass directly (water temperature changes, perhaps) or indirectly (food supply, diseases or parasites)? Limiting the striper catch certainly is the simplest solution, but if, as the article seems to imply, the decline in striped bass is caused by a decline in their food supply, then perhaps the better solution is to protect their food supply. For example, are Menhaden in the food chain that leads up to striped bass? If they are, then the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation should be a factor in determining the Menhaden catch. It might even be possible to minimize reductions in the striper catch by reducing the Menhaden catch. I'm sure sports fishermen would prefer that approach, and it probably has broader benefits for other fisheries affected by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.

[Tom Pelton]

That is an excellent question, Joseph. Because I am not the expert on the issue, I have forwarded your question on to Bob Wood at NOAA, hoping that he can provide an answer.