NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-143

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999
Recent Issues

105. Review of American Lobster (Homarus americanus) Habitat Requirements and Responses to Contaminant Exposures.

By Renee Mercaldo-Allen and Catherine A. Kuropat. July 1994. v + 52 p., 29 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-115555.

106. Selected Living Resources, Habitat Conditions, and Human Perturbations of the Gulf of Maine: Environmental and

Ecological Considerations for Fishery Management. By Richard W. Langton, John B. Pearce, and Jon A. Gibson, eds.

August 1994. iv + 70 p., 2 figs., 6 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-270906.

107. Invertebrate Neoplasia: Initiation and Promotion Mechanisms -- Proceedings of an International Workshop, 23 June

1992, Washington, D.C. By A. Rosenfield, F.G. Kern, and B.J. Keller, comps. & eds. September 1994. v + 31 p., 8 figs.,

3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB96-164801.

108. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1994. By Conservation and Utilization Division,

Northeast Fisheries Science Center. January 1995. iv + 140 p., 71 figs., 75 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB95-263414.

109. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Potential for Development of Aquaculture in Massachusetts: 15-17 February 1995,

Chatham/Edgartown/Dartmouth, Massachusetts. By Carlos A. Castro and Scott J. Soares, comps. & eds. January 1996.

v + 26 p., 1 fig., 2 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-103782.

110. Length-Length and Length-Weight Relationships for 13 Shark Species from the Western North Atlantic. By Nancy E.

Kohler, John G. Casey, Patricia A. Turner. May 1996. iv + 22 p., 4 figs., 15 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-135032.

111. Review and Evaluation of the 1994 Experimental Fishery in Closed Area II on Georges Bank. By Patricia A. Gerrior,

Fredric M. Serchuk, Kathleen C. Mays, John F. Kenney, and Peter D. Colosi. October 1996. v + 52 p., 24 figs., 20 tables. NTIS

Access. No. PB98-119159.

112. Data Description and Statistical Summary of the 1983-92 Cost-Earnings Data Base for Northeast U.S. Commercial

Fishing Vessels: A Guide to Understanding and Use of the Data Base. By Amy B. Gautam and Andrew W. Kitts. December

1996. v + 21 p., 11 figs., 14 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB97-169320.

113. Individual Vessel Behavior in the Northeast Otter Trawl Fleet during 1982-92. By Barbara Pollard Rountree. August 1997.

v + 50 p., 1 fig., 40 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-169997.

114. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1996. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Keith

D. Mullin, James H.W. Hain, Larry J. Hansen, and Kathryn D. Bisack. October 1997. viii + 250 p., 42 figs., 47 tables. NTIS

Access. No. PB98-112345.

115. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern United States for 1998. By Stephen H. Clark, ed. September 1998. vi

+ 149 p., 70 figs., 80 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-129694.

116. U.S. Atlantic Marine Mammal Stock Assessments -- 1998. By Gordon T. Waring, Debra L. Palka, Phillip J. Clapham, Steven

Swartz, Marjorie C. Rossman, Timothy V.N. Cole, Kathryn D. Bisack, and Larry J. Hansen. February 1999. vii + 182 p., 16

figs., 56 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-134140.

117. Review of Distribution of the Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas) in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.

By Alan A. Abend and Tim D. Smith. April 1999. vi + 22 p., 14 figs., 3 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165029.

118. Tautog (Tautoga onitis) Life History and Habitat Requirements. By Frank W. Steimle and Patricia A. Shaheen. May 1999.

vi + 23 p., 1 fig., 1 table. NTIS Access. No. PB99-165011.

119. Data Needs for Economic Analysis of Fishery Management Regulations. By Andrew W. Kitts and Scott R. Steinback.

August 1999. iv + 48 p., 10 figs., 22 tables. NTIS Access. No. PB99-171456.

120. Marine Mammal Research Program of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center during 1990-95. By Janeen M. Quintal and

Tim D. Smith. September 1999. v + 28 p., 4 tables, 4 app. NTIS Access. No. PB2000-100809.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

William Daley, Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

D. James Baker, Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

Penelope D. Dalton, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999

Essential Fish Habitat Source Document:

Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata,

Life History and Habitat Characteristics

Frank W. Steimle, Christine A. Zetlin, Peter L. Berrien,

and Sukwoo Chang

National Marine Fisheries Serv., James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab., 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands, NJ 07732

This series represents a secondary level of scientifiic publishing. All issues employ

thorough internal scientific review; some issues employ external scientific review.

Reviews are -- by design -- transparent collegial reviews, not anonymous peer reviews.

All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-143
Editorial Notes on Issues 122-152

in the

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE Series

Editorial Production

For Issues 122-152, staff of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's (NEFSC's) Ecosystems Processes Division have

largely assumed the role of staff of the NEFSC's Editorial Office for technical and copy editing, type composition, and

page layout. Other than the four covers (inside and outside, front and back) and first two preliminary pages, all preprinting

editorial production has been performed by, and all credit for such production rightfully belongs to, the authors and

acknowledgees of each issue, as well as those noted below in "Special Acknowledgments."

Special Acknowledgments

David B. Packer, Sara J. Griesbach, and Luca M. Cargnelli coordinated virtually all aspects of the preprinting editorial

production, as well as performed virtually all technical and copy editing, type composition, and page layout, of Issues

122-152. Rande R. Cross, Claire L. Steimle, and Judy D. Berrien conducted the literature searching, citation checking,

and bibliographic styling for Issues 122-152. Joseph J. Vitaliano produced all of the food habits figures in Issues 122-

152.

Internet Availability

Issues 122-152 are being copublished, i.e., both as paper copies and as web postings. All web postings are, or will soon

be, available at: www.nefsc.nmfs.gov/nefsc/habitat/efh. Also, all web postings will be in "PDF" format.

Information Updating

By federal regulation, all information specific to Issues 122-152 must be updated at least every five years. All official

updates will appear in the web postings. Paper copies will be reissued only when and if new information associated with

Issues 122-152 is significant enough to warrant a reprinting of a given issue. All updated and/or reprinted issues will retain

the original issue number, but bear a "Revised (Month Year)" label.

Species Names

The NMFS Northeast Regions policy on the use of species names in all technical communications is generally to follow

the American Fisheries Societys lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robins et al. 1991a), mollusks (i.e.,

Turgeon et al. 1998b

), and decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989c), and to follow the Society for Marine

Mammalogy's guidance on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998d). Exceptions to this policy

occur when there are subsequent compelling revisions in the classifications of species, resulting in changes in the names

of species (e.g., Cooper and Chapleau 1998e

).

a

Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes

from the United States and Canada. 5th ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 20; 183 p.

b

Turgeon, D.D. (chair); Quinn, J.F., Jr.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.;

Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic

invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 26; 526 p.

c

Williams, A.B. (chair); Abele, L.G.; Felder, D.L.; Hobbs, H.H., Jr.; Manning, R.B.; McLaughlin, P.A.; Pérez Farfante, I. 1989. Common and

scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustaceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 17; 77 p.

d

Rice, D.W. 1998. Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Soc. Mar. Mammal. Spec. Publ. 4; 231 p.

e

Cooper, J.A.; Chapleau, F. 1998. Monophyly and interrelationships of the family Pleuronectidae (Pleuronectiformes), with a revised classification.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 96:686-726.
Page iii

FOREWORD

One of the greatest long-term threats to the viability of

commercial and recreational fisheries is the continuing

loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (October 11, 1996)

The long-term viability of living marine resources

depends on protection of their habitat.

NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries

Research (February 1998)

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (MSFCMA), which was reauthorized

and amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (1996),

requires the eight regional fishery management councils to

describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH) in their

respective regions, to specify actions to conserve and

enhance that EFH, and to minimize the adverse effects of

fishing on EFH. Congress defined EFH as “those waters

and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding,

feeding or growth to maturity.” The MSFCMA requires

NMFS to assist the regional fishery management councils

in the implementation of EFH in their respective fishery

management plans.

NMFS has taken a broad view of habitat as the area

used by fish throughout their life cycle. Fish use habitat

for spawning, feeding, nursery, migration, and shelter, but

most habitats provide only a subset of these functions.

Fish may change habitats with changes in life history

stage, seasonal and geographic distributions, abundance,

and interactions with other species. The type of habitat,

as well as its attributes and functions, are important for

sustaining the production of managed species.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center compiled the

available information on the distribution, abundance, and

habitat requirements for each of the species managed by

the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Councils. That information is presented in this series of

30 EFH species reports (plus one consolidated methods

report). The EFH species reports comprise a survey of the

important literature as well as original analyses of fisheryJAMES J. HOWARD MARINE SCIENCES LABORATORY

HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY

SEPTEMBER 1999

independent data sets from NMFS and several coastal

states. The species reports are also the source for the

current EFH designations by the New England and MidAtlantic Fishery Management Councils, and have

understandably begun to be referred to as the “EFH source

documents.”

NMFS provided guidance to the regional fishery

management councils for identifying and describing EFH

of their managed species. Consistent with this guidance,

the species reports present information on current and

historic stock sizes, geographic range, and the period and

location of major life history stages. The habitats of

managed species are described by the physical, chemical,

and biological components of the ecosystem where the

species occur. Information on the habitat requirements is

provided for each life history stage, and it includes, where

available, habitat and environmental variables that control

or limit distribution, abundance, growth, reproduction,

mortality, and productivity.

Identifying and describing EFH are the first steps in

the process of protecting, conserving, and enhancing

essential habitats of the managed species. Ultimately,

NMFS, the regional fishery management councils, fishing

participants, Federal and state agencies, and other

organizations will have to cooperate to achieve the habitat

goals established by the MSFCMA.

A historical note: the EFH species reports effectively

recommence a series of reports published by the NMFS

Sandy Hook (New Jersey) Laboratory (now formally

known as the James J. Howard Marine Sciences

Laboratory) from 1977 to 1982. These reports, which

were formally labeled as Sandy Hook Laboratory

Technical Series Reports, but informally known as “Sandy

Hook Bluebooks,” summarized biological and fisheries

data for 18 economically important species. The fact that

the bluebooks continue to be used two decades after their

publication persuaded us to make their successors – the 30

EFH source documents – available to the public through

publication in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFSNE series.

JEFFREY N. CROSS, CHIEF

ECOSYSTEMS PROCESSES DIVISION

NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER
Page v

Contents

Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Life History ...............................................................................................................................................................................................1

Habitat Characteristics ..............................................................................................................................................................................4

Geographical Distribution.........................................................................................................................................................................7

Status of the Stocks ...................................................................................................................................................................................8

Research Needs .........................................................................................................................................................................................8

Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................................................................................9

References Cited .......................................................................................................................................................................................9

Tables

Table 1. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for black sea bass, Centropristis striata....................................................15

Figures

Figure 1. The black sea bass, Centropristis striata (from Goode 1884) ...............................................................................................17

Figure 2. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass in the Northwest Atlantic during 1975-1994 ................................................18

Figure 3. Abundance of the major prey items in the diets of black sea bass collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys...............19

Figure 4. Abundance of black sea bass eggs relative to water temperature and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP surveys ........20

Figure 5. Abundance of black sea bass larvae relative to water temperature and bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP surveys......21

Figure 6. Seasonal abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass relative to bottom temperature and depth from NEFSC surveys........22

Figure 7. Abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass relative to bottom temperature and depth based on Massachusetts surveys.....24

Figure 8. Seasonal abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass relative to temperature and depth from Narragansett Bay surveys .....25

Figure 9. Abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass relative to temperature, DO, depth, and salinity from the Hudson-Raritan......27

Figure 10. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP surveys........................................28

Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass larvae collected during NEFSC MARMAP surveys .....................................31

Figure 12. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys........34

Figure 13. Distribution and abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass collected during Massachusetts trawl surveys........................36

Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass collected in Narragansett Bay during Rhode Island surveys ..37

Figure 15. Distribution, abundance, and size frequency distribution of black sea bass collected in Long Island Sound .......................39

Figure 16. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile/adult black sea bass in the Hudson-Raritan estuary..................................40

Figure 17. Commercial landings and NEFSC trawl survey indices for black sea bass in Gulf of Maine and Middle Atlantic Bight.....42
Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The black sea bass (Centropristis striata Linnaeus

1758) (Figure 1), is a warm temperate species that is usually

associated with structured habitats, such as reefs and

shipwrecks, on the continental shelf. It occurs from

southern Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy (Scott and Scott

1988) to southern Florida (Bowen and Avise 1990) and into

the Gulf of Mexico (Figure 2). The summer migrant fish

assemblage, with which the black sea bass is associated, has

been reported from scattered sites on the Grand Banks of

Canada (Brown et al. 1996); however, it is uncommon or

occurs irregularly in the cool waters north of Cape Cod

(Scattergood 1952; DeWitt et al. 1981; Short 1992).

According to Beebe and Tee-Van (1933), black sea bass

were introduced to Bermuda, however this was unsuccessful

(B. Collette, National Systematics Laboratory, Smithsonian

Institution, Washington, DC, personal communication).

The species exists as three populations or stocks –

northern, southern, and Gulf of Mexico. The northern stock,

that occurs north of Cape Hatteras, is the focus of this

review. The life histories and habitats of the southern and

Gulf of Mexico populations are covered in the South

Atlantic Fishery Management Council Snapper Grouper

Fishery Management Plan.

The eggs and larvae are generally collected from late

spring to late summer from mid-shelf into coastal waters.

Larvae are believed to settle in coastal waters and move into

estuarine or sheltered coastal nursery areas as early

juveniles. This can be a two-step process involving

nearshore accumulation and estuarine passage (Boehlert and

Mundy 1988). During warmer months, juveniles are found

in estuaries and coastal areas, often near shelter, between

North Carolina and Massachusetts. Adults are found

slightly deeper than juveniles and summer in coastal areas,

usually near structured habitat, from the Middle Atlantic

Bight into the Gulf of Maine. Temperature, not the

availability of structured habitat, appears to limit black sea

bass distribution north of Cape Cod. In the Middle Atlantic

Bight, black sea bass are usually the most common fish on

structured habitats, especially south of New Jersey where the

abundance of cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus) declines.

These structured habitats include shellfish (oyster and

mussel) beds, rocky areas, shipwrecks, and artificial reefs

(Verrill 1873; Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Musick and

Mercer 1977; Steimle and Figley 1996).

As coastal waters cool below 14o

C in the fall, the

Middle Atlantic Bight population begins to migrate south

and offshore to wintering areas in deeper waters between

central New Jersey and North Carolina. As bottom waters

warm above about 7o

C in the spring, the population migrates

inshore into coastal areas and bays in southern New England

and the Middle Atlantic Bight. The southern population of

black sea bass is not known to make an extensive migration,

but may move away from shallow coastal areas during cold

winters, especially in the Carolinas. Larger fish are

commonly found in deeper waters and usually associated

with rough bottom (Smith 1907; Hildebrand and Schroeder

1928; Bigelow and Schroeder 1953).

Black sea bass usually mature as a female and with

increasing size, change sex to male. In the Middle Atlantic

Bight, they grow to over 60 cm TL, weigh over 3.5 kg, and

live up to 20 years; the largest and oldest fish are almost

always males (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953).

LIFE HISTORY

EGGS

The northern population spawns buoyant, pelagic eggs

on the continental shelf from spring through fall (Able and

Fahay 1998; Reiss and McConaugha 1999). Spawning

begins in the spring in the southern part of their range (North

Carolina and Virginia) and progresses north into southern

New England waters from summer through fall. In the

Middle Atlantic Bight, the incubation period of the eggs is

five days (approximately 120 hrs) at 15o

C (Kendall 1972).

Able and Fahay (1998) give an incubation period of 35-75

hrs depending on water temperature. Little else is known of

this stage.

LARVAE

Larvae are 1.5-2.1 mm SL at hatching (Fahay 1983).

The duration of the pelagic larval stage is unknown. Tucker

(1989) reported that larval black sea bass can grow for two

days before their yolk is exhausted and will die within three

days thereafter if they can not acquire enough planktonic

food. Cowen et al. (1993) classified black sea bass larvae

in a New York Bight (bounded by Long Island and New

Jersey coasts) mid-summer assemblage, which usually

included cusk-eel (Ophidion sp.). Larvae settle and become

demersal in coastal areas at 10-16 mm TL (Able and Fahay

1998). However, Kendall (1972) reported that settlement

might be delayed until 25 mm TL. Allen et al. (1978) found

15-17 mm black sea bass larvae (transition to juveniles) in

epibenthic sled collections off the oceanic side of the Cape

May peninsula (New Jersey) in late July. Larval black sea

bass were collected by plankton nets in the surf zone during

June-July 1995-1996 off northern New Jersey (D. Clark,

U.S. Army Corps Engineers, Vicksburg, MS, personal

communication).

JUVENILES (< 19 CM TL)

Most juvenile settlement does not occur in estuaries, but

in coastal areas. Recently settled juveniles then find their

way to estuarine nurseries. Adams (1993) reported a "major

settlement" of juvenile black sea bass (< 3.0 cm) in August

1992 near an artificial reef about 15 km off the VirginiaNorth Carolina border. He did not observe a large
Page 2

settlement in 1991. The fish were observed by diving and

occurred singly and in small groups near shelter on the

artificial reef or in depressions containing shell fragments in

the surrounding sand. The transport mechanism and fish

behavior that move these early juveniles into estuaries are

unknown (Able and Fahay 1998).

Young-of-the-year (YOY) black sea bass enter Middle

Atlantic Bight estuaries from July to September (Able et al.

1995b; Able and Hales 1997). This occurs earliest in the

south. Kimmel (1973) collected 30-146 mm juveniles in

Magothy Bay, Virginia as early as March; they occur later

elsewhere in Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake Bay Program

1996). Richards (1963a, b) did not find them in central

Long Island Sound until September and October; this was

confirmed by more recent surveys (1992-1997) of the

Sound, (Gottschall et al., in review). Older juveniles return

to estuaries in late spring and early summer, and may follow

the migration routes of adults into coastal waters. Bean

(1902) reported that juveniles were "very common" in Great

South Bay (New York) and Great Egg Harbor Bay (New

Jersey). Sherwood and Edwards (1902) noted that, at that

time, black sea bass were decreasing in abundance in

Vineyard Sound (Massachusetts).

The seasonal recruitment of YOY black sea bass to

estuaries is temporally and spatially variable. Juvenile black

sea bass were collected in relatively high abundance (1.2-5.5

per tow) from trawls in Raritan Bay (New Jersey) during late

summer 1997 (D. McMillan, NMFS, NEFSC, James J.

Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ,

unpublished data), but they were rarely collected in surveys

during the previous five years. Based on trap collections,

juvenile black sea bass were a dominant species within and

near shoreline pilings in New York Harbor in late summer

1993 (Able et al. 1995b). Black sea bass were rare in the

Arthur Kill, a tributary to the Hudson-Raritan estuary

(Howells and Brundage 1977) and in Raritan and Sandy

Hook Bays (Breder 1922; Wilk et al. 1996). They were not

collected in Newark Bay in the early 1990s (Wilk et al.

1997). Black sea bass are rare in Barnegat Bay (New

Jersey) (Marcellus 1972; Vouglitois 1983; Tatham et al.

1984). However, Allen et al. (1978) reported that Hereford

Estuary (New Jersey), about 60 km south, was an important

black sea bass nursery area during several years of

monitoring; they also reported significant fluctuations in

annual abundance.

Juvenile black sea bass grow relatively fast in estuaries

during the summer. Schwartz (1961) found 30-37 mm TL

juveniles in east shore bays of Virginia as early as April;

they grew to 98-182 mm by November. Able and Fahay

(1998) noted that YOY grow to 100 mm by the fall. Able

and Hales (1997) reported mean growth rates of 0.45

mm/day from spring to fall, with a peak rate 0.74 mm/day in

the summer, for age 0+ and 1+ juveniles in coastal southern

New Jersey. In a previous study, age 1+ fish grew an

average of 0.77 mm/day (Able et al. 1995a). In contrast,

Allen et al. (1978) reported that postlarvae (early juveniles)

that enter the Hereford Estuary in July at about 18 mm leave

at > 40 mm TL in the fall; they also reported that 1 year old

fish arrive in this estuary at about 60 mm and leave at about

100 mm TL.

Kim (1987) found that juvenile growth in the laboratory

was affected by food type, consumption rates, and fish size.

Juvenile growth was increased 4-5 times on an enriched

artificial diet. Laboratory studies indicated that temporary

hypoxic conditions in estuaries in the summer could inhibit

the growth of young-of-the-year fish (Hales and Able 1995).

Growth of juveniles was clearly evident in otoliths and

showed annulus formation in May or June (Dery and Mayo

1988).

ADULTS (≥ 19 CM TL)

Growth is sexually dimorphic in mature black sea bass;

females grow faster but reach a lower maximum size

(Lavenda 1949; Mercer 1978; Wilk et al. 1978). Shepherd

and Idoine (1993) suggest that the species can have three

sex-related growth rates: female, male, and transitional.

Males grew faster than females off New York based on

otolith annuli analyses of year 1 and older fish (Alexander

1981). Black sea bass from Massachusetts had growth rates

almost double those reported for New York and Virginia,

but different growth estimators were used (Dery and Mayo

1988; Kolek 1990; Caruso 1995). Fish from the Middle

Atlantic Bight were larger at age and grew faster than fish

from the South Atlantic Bight (Mercer 1978; Wenner et al.

1986). Growth is linear to about age 6, then slows; the

Middle Atlantic Bight population is larger at age than the

South Atlantic Bight population (Wenner et al. 1986).

During warm months, black sea bass share the coastal

habitat with several other species, including tautog (Tautoga

onitis), spotted hake (Urophycis regia), red hake (U. chuss),

conger eel (Conger oceanicus), ocean pout (Macrozoarces

americanus), pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), northern

searobin (Prionotus carolinus), and transients such as gray

triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) (Chee 1977; Musick and

Mercer 1977; Eklund and Targett 1991). Inshore trawl

surveys included butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus), smooth

dogfish (Mustelus canis), round herring (Etrumeus teres),

and windowpane (Scophthalmus aquosus) in the summer

group containing black sea bass (Phoel 1985; Gabriel 1992;

Brown et al. 1996). North of Maryland, cunner is a

dominant member of the reef ichthyofauna. In estuaries,

black sea bass co-occur on oyster shell plantings with

summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), spot (Leiostomus

xanthurus), oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), and other species

(Arve 1960).

REPRODUCTION

Like most of the Serranidae, the black sea bass is a

protogynous hermaphrodite; most fish mature as females and

change to males with additional growth (Lavenda 1949). In

the Middle Atlantic Bight, individuals begin to mature at age
Page 3

1 (8-17 cm TL) and 50% are mature at about 19 cm SL and

2-3 years of age (O’Brien et al. 1993). The majority of fish

in this size group are females (Mercer 1978). The average

size of transformation from female to male occurs at 23.9-

33.7 cm TL (Chesapeake Bay Program 1996). In the South

Atlantic Bight, Cupka et al. (1973) reported that both sexes

mature at smaller sizes (14-18 cm SL). Wenner et al. (1986)

and Alexander (1981) found mature fish at about 10-11 cm

(age 1+) off South Carolina and New York; a majority of

fish were mature at about 19 cm TL and at an age of about

2-3 years. Alexander (1981) reported a decrease in the age

and size of sex change since the 1940s with fewer mature

males in the New York population; he associated this

decrease with increasing fishing pressure. Mercer (1978)

reported that 2-5 year old females release between 191,000

and 369,500 eggs.

Based on collections of ripe fish and distributions of

egg, black sea bass spawn primarily on the inner continental

shelf between Chesapeake Bay and Montauk Pt., Long

Island at depths of about 20-50 m (Breder 1932; Kendall

1972, 1977; Musick and Mercer 1977; Wilk et al. 1990;

Eklund and Targett 1990; Berrien and Sibunka 1999).

Spawning has been reported as far north as Buzzards Bay

and Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts (Wilson 1891;

Sherwood and Edwards 1902; Kolek 1990). Gravid females

are not generally found in estuaries (Allen et al. 1978).

Larvae have been collected in Cape Cod Bay, but these were

probably stragglers swept from Buzzards Bay through the

Cape Cod Canal and not the product of local spawning

(MAFMC 1996).

Spawning in the Middle Atlantic Bight population

occurs from May to July (Kendall 1972, 1977; Musick and

Mercer 1977; Feigenbaum et al. 1989; Wilk et al. 1990;

Eklund and Targett 1990) during inshore migrations, but can

extend to October-November (Fahay 1983; Berrien and

Sibunka 1999). Larval distributions presented in Able et al.

(1995a) suggest spawning occurs earliest off Virginia and

North Carolina (in the vicinity of the wintering grounds) and

progresses northerly and inshore as inner shelf waters warm.

In Massachusetts coastal waters, spawning fish

aggregate on sand bottoms broken by ledges; after

spawning, the fish disperse to ledges and rocks in deeper

water (Kolek 1990; MAFMC 1996). Kolek (1990) reported

evidence from tagging studies of homing to spawning

grounds. Some tagged adult black sea bass returned to the

spawning grounds in northwestern Nantucket Sound where

they were tagged. Kolek (1990) also reported this local

spawning group spawned earlier and in shallower waters

than generally reported by Kendall (1977).

The complex social hierarchy of reef fishes, such as

black sea bass, during spawning implies that the number of

males may be an important factor limiting reproductive

potential (Shepherd and Idoine 1993). They noted that

theoretical studies suggest that, to the degree that nondominant males participate in spawning, the current relative

abundance of males may not be limiting in the black sea bass

population. Although nothing is known of the mating of this

species, pairing is characteristic of the family (Breder and

Rosen 1966).

FOOD HABITS

The diet of larval black sea bass are poorly known, but

probably consists of zooplankton. Tucker (1989) reported

that black sea bass larvae are capable of surviving and

growing at lower prey densities, and resist prey abundance

fluctuations better, than bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli)

larvae.

Juvenile black sea bass are diurnal, visual predators and

often prey on small benthic crustaceans (isopods,

amphipods, small crabs, sand shrimp, copepods) and other

epibenthic estuarine and coastal organisms, such as mysids

and small fish (Richards 1963a; Kimmel 1973; Allen et al.

1978; Werme 1981; Figure 3). Kimmel (1973) found that

polychaete worms were significant in the diet and reported

a shift from mysids (55%) and amphipods (15%) at 3.0-9.0

cm SL to xanthid and other crabs (35%), mysids (19%), and

polychaetes (14%) at 9.1-14.6 cm SL. Orth and Heck

(1980) reported that sub-adults (14.0-16.5 cm TL) feed in

eelgrass beds in lower Chesapeake Bay; their prey included

juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), eelgrass (Zostera

marina) fragments, isopods, caprellid amphipods, shrimp,

and pipefish (Syngnathus sp.). Festa (1979) reported lady

(Ovalipes sp.), blue, and mud (xanthid) crabs, and caridean

shrimp as major diet items in a small sample of fish from a

central New Jersey estuary. Allen et al. (1978) reported an

increase in the occurrence of anchovies, silversides (Menidia

sp.), and plant detritus in the diets of 11-18 cm black sea

bass from southern New Jersey coastal and estuarine areas;

crustaceans were the most common prey.

During the summer, adult black sea bass feed on a

variety of infaunal and epibenthic invertebrates [especially

crustaceans, including juvenile American lobster (Homarus

americanus)], small fish, and pelagic squid and baitfish

(Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Miller 1959; Richards 1963a;

Mack and Bowman 1983; Steimle and Figley 1996; Figure

3). Feeding was heaviest after spawning (Hoff 1970).

The diets and feeding of the offshore wintering

population are poorly known. The potential benthic

invertebrate prey in the wintering area can be dominated by

echinoderms [e.g., sand dollars (Echinarachnius parma) and

sea stars], mollusks [e.g., razor clams (Ensis directus)], and

polychaetes; average benthic biomasses are 50-75 g/m2

 wet

weight (Wigley and Theroux 1981; Steimle 1990). Some

co-wintering guild species, e.g. scup (Stenotomus chrysops)

(Austen et al. 1994), may be competitors for habitat or food.

Other guild species, such as butterfish and squid (Loligo sp.

and Illex sp.), can be prey for adult black sea bass.

PREDATION AND MORTALITY

There are many potential predators on larval black sea

bass. "Jellyfish" can be a significant source of larval
Page 4

mortality when they are abundant in the coastal zone (Arai

1988).

Hartman and Brandt (1995) found black sea bass,

presumably juveniles, in the summer diets of one year old

weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) and other predators in

Chesapeake Bay. Summer flounder, smooth dogfish, and

oyster toadfish are potential demersal predators of juvenile

black sea bass, and juveniles in exposed areas can also be

preyed upon by bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), striped bass

(Morone saxatilus), weakfish, and other predators that use

the water column, including diving birds. Steimle

(unpublished data) found juvenile black sea bass in the

stomachs of the following predators from Raritan Bay (New

Jersey) during the summer 1997: clearnose skate (Raja

eglanteria), northern and striped searobin (Prionotus

evolans), summer flounder, and spot. Weakfish, bluefish,

oyster toadfish, smooth dogfish, and fourspot flounder

(Paralichthys oblongus) contained small, partially digested

fish similar to juvenile black sea bass.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) food

habits database lists the following species as predators of

black sea bass: spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), Atlantic

angel shark (Squatina dumeril), clearnose skate, little skate

(Raja erinacea), spotted hake, summer flounder,

windowpane, and goosefish (Lophius americanus). [See

Reid et al. (1999) for food habits database methods.]

An extensive hypoxia/anoxia event in the New York

Bight in the summer of 1976 resulted in fish mortalities,

avoidance of the area by fish (including black sea bass), and

extensive loss of benthic invertebrates (Azarovitz et al.

1979; Steimle and Radosh 1979). Commercial pot

fishermen reported black sea bass mortality and sport divers

reported the disappearance of black sea bass and other fish

from shipwrecks and artificial reefs along the north-central

New Jersey coast. The cause of the condition was the

oxygen demand created by the decay of an unusually

massive dinoflagellate bloom on the Middle Atlantic Bight

continental shelf. This occurred during a period of unusual

wind patterns and climate that caused early and strong water

column stratification. Anthropogenic influences, such as

nutrient exports from urban estuaries to offshore areas, were

not confirmed or eliminated as causative factors. Earlier

episodes of anoxia/hypoxia in the area caused mortalities or

severe stress in fish (ocean pout and cunner) and shellfish

(lobster and crabs), but not in black sea bass, tautog, or

flounder (Ogren and Chess 1969). The June 25, 1997

Asbury Park Press (New Jersey) newspaper reported black

sea bass as one of the fish observed dead in an hypoxic area

off the New Jersey coast (dissolved oxygen < 2 ppm).

MIGRATION

Black sea bass belong to a group of warm temperate,

migrating species that do not tolerate cold, inshore winter

conditions; these include scup, summer flounder, northern

searobin, spotted hake, butterfish, and smooth dogfish

(Musick and Mercer 1977; Colvocoresses and Musick

1984). The composition of this group varies between

spring, summer and fall (Phoel 1985).

The summer coastal population migrates in scattered

aggregates in the fall by generally unknown routes from

inshore areas across the continental shelf to outer shelf

wintering areas south of New Jersey as bottom temperatures

decline (Musick and Mercer 1977). Returns from adult fish

tagged in Nantucket Sound (Massachusetts) suggest that the

fish migrate directly south to the outer shelf near Block

Canyon (south of Rhode Island), move southwest along this

outer shelf zone to the vicinity of Norfolk Canyon (off

Virginia), and return along the same route (Kolek 1990).

Offshore migrations are stimulated in the fall as coastal

bottom water temperatures approach 7o

C and the return

inshore migration begins in the spring (about April) as

inshore bottom water temperatures rise above 7°C (Nesbit

and Neville 1935; June and Reintjes 1957; Colvocoresses

and Musick 1984; Chang 1990; Shepherd and Terceiro

1994). Larger fish (a high proportion of which are males)

begin migrating offshore sooner than smaller fish (Kendall

1977).

STOCK STRUCTURE

The black sea bass population from Cape Hatteras to

Cape Kennedy (Florida) is considered a distinct population

(Mercer 1978; Shepherd 1991; Collette and Klein-MacPhee,

in prep.) and the Gulf of Mexico population is considered a

distinct subspecies (C. s. melanus) (Link 1980; Bowen and

Avise 1990). Subpopulations have not been identified

within the northern population, although the evidence for a

putative local population in Nantucket Sound suggested by

Kolek (1990) bears further consideration.

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS

Black sea bass is a warm temperate, demersal species

that uses benthic habitats in open water to structured areas

for feeding and shelter. Their distribution changes

seasonally as fish migrate from coastal areas to the outer

continental shelf while water temperatures decline in the fall

and from the outer shelf to inshore areas as water

temperatures rise in the spring. Information on the habitat

use, characteristics, and preferences for the major life stages

of the black sea bass population north of Cape Hatteras,

North Carolina is summarized in Table 1.

EGGS

The habitat requirements of the planktonic stages of

temperate reef fishes are thought to be little different from

many tropical species. These requirements involve highly

complex biological, physical, and chemical interactions such
Page 5

as predation, oceanographic processes, and food availability

(Richards and Lindeman 1987).

Based on the NEFSC Marine Resources Monitoring,

Assessment and Prediction (MARMAP) ichthyoplankton

survey [see Reid et al. (1999) for details], black sea bass

eggs were collected most frequently at average water

column temperatures of 12-24o

C with a mode at about 15-

18o

C, except in January and August-September when there

was a secondary mode at 20-22o

C (Figure 4). The buoyant

eggs were collected mostly in < 50 m water depths, but >

5% of the eggs were collected in waters > 240 m in May and

October. This wide range undoubtedly reflects the relatively

long spawning period, which begins in the spring and

extends into the fall, and the seasonal migration of the adult

population (from offshore to inshore).

Laboratory spawned C. striata melanus eggs and larvae

are sensitive to high salinity, low pH, high nitrite-nitrate

concentrations, and temperature extremes (Hoff 1970).

Similar data are not known for C. striata, although

comparable sensitivities can reasonably be expected.

LARVAE

Based on NEFSC MARMAP survey data, larvae were

collected at average water column temperatures of 11-26o

C

and were most abundant between 13-21o

C (Figure 5), which

is a slightly wider range than found for eggs. Larvae were

generally collected at depths of < 100 m, but several

collections during May-July and October occurred over

deeper (> 200 m) water. These deep water occurrences

could reflect off-shelf transport effects of Gulf Stream gyres

(or other oceanographic processes) and possibly reduce their

opportunity to settle inshore and find their way into

estuarine nurseries.

JUVENILES

The distribution and abundance data for reef fish based

on towed nets probably do not represent all of the benthic

habitats occupied. The NEFSC and state trawl surveys may

avoid excessively rough bottom, shipwrecks, and reefs, or

tow over them with roller gear that does not sample fish that

seek shelter in holes. This potentially under estimates the

association of fish like the black sea bass with rough bottom

habitats and areas with steep depth gradients. The draft of

survey vessels limits sampling in shallow waters and

potentially underestimates the association with shallow,

coastal habitats. The survey results presented herein are

based on trawling and may bias the interpretation of habitat

use by black sea bass.

Hydrographic data from the NEFSC groundfish surveys

indicate that juvenile black sea bass occurred at bottom

water temperatures > 5o

C and the largest catches occurred at

11-12o

C in the winter and spring (Figure 6). Juveniles were

collected from about 20-240 m with a mode at 90-100 m.

There were temperature modes at about 17o

 and about 25oC

in the summer suggesting use of different habitats or

geographic areas; most fish were collected in shallow

(around 10-20 m) water. In the fall, the temperature

distribution was wide (9-27°C) with a mode at about 14-

15o

C; inshore waters < 50 m were preferred. [See Reid et al.

(1999) for NEFSC survey methods.]

Hydrographic data from the Massachusetts spring and

fall trawl surveys reflected warmer conditions in shallow

coastal areas and were mostly consistent with the NEFSC

data (Figure 7). In Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island),

juveniles (3-13 cm TL) were rarely collected (average of

0.08 individuals/tow) and only from spring through fall at

bottom temperatures of 11-22°C and depths < 24 m (80 ft)

(Figure 8). In Long Island Sound during the fall, black sea

bass (juveniles and adults) were collected at bottom

temperatures of 14-19o

C, at depths of 5-50 m, and salinities

of 23-32 ppt. In the Hudson-Raritan estuary, juveniles were

collected at 6-23°C, around 10 m, at salinities > 20 ppt, and

dissolved oxygen levels < 4 mg/L (ppm), although some fish

were collected at 2 mg/L (Figure 9). [See Reid et al. (1999)

for state survey methods.]

Data for juvenile black sea bass in smaller estuaries are

scarce; available data are mostly estimates of extremes in

tolerance or based on laboratory results (e.g., Hales and

Able 1995; Able and Fahay 1998). Within smaller estuaries,

natural coastal geological processes can alter the suitability

of potential nursery habitat. For example, the natural

opening and closing of inlets in barrier islands along the

eastern shore of Virginia can change salinity and

temperature regimes in lagoons, which changes the

distribution of acceptable nursery habitat and juvenile fish,

such as black sea bass (Schwartz 1961).

In many studies of reef fish, such as black sea bass, the

availability of shelter limits successful postlarval and/or

juvenile recruitment (Huntsman et al. 1982; Richards and

Lindeman 1987). The estuarine nursery habitat of black sea

bass is shallow, hard bottom with structure (refuge). These

include shellfish (oyster and mussel), sponge, amphipod

(Ampelisca abdita) tubes, and sea grass beds (especially

Ruppia sp.), as well as wharves, pilings, wrecks, artificial

reefs, crab and conch pots; and cobble and shoal grounds

(southern New England to Cape Cod) at salinities > 8 ppt

(Bean 1888; Moore 1892; Sherwood and Edwards 1902;

Arve 1960; Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928; Kendall 1972;

Derickson and Price 1973; Musick and Mercer 1977;

Clayton et al. 1978; Weinstein and Brooks 1983;

Feigenbaum et al. 1989; Able et al. 1995a). They also occur

at the mouths of salt marsh creeks (Werme 1981; Hales and

Able 1994; Szedlmayer and Able 1996; Able and Hales

1997). Able et al. (1995a) reported little use of eelgrass in

New Jersey. Juveniles were not common on open,

unvegetated sandy intertidal flats or beaches (Allen et al.

1978), or deeper, muddy bottoms (Richards 1963b). Bean

(1888) and Allen et al. (1978) reported that larger juveniles

used deeper estuarine channels. In some urbanized areas,

there were early reports of juvenile black sea bass using

habitats that were formerly common but are now rare, such
Page 6

as oyster beds near Staten Island (Nichols and Breder 1927)

and eelgrass beds in Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn (Bean

1902). Recent surveys in the Hudson-Raritan estuary

collected YOY black sea bass usually only where beds of

red beard sponge (Microciona prolifera) were common

(Steimle, unpublished data).

In estuarine nurseries, YOY and older juveniles can use

different habitats. Older juveniles tend to stay in shallower

waters (< 10 m) (Musick and Mercer 1977), but not in the

shallow shoals and marsh fringe favored by YOY. Older

juveniles use channels (Bean 1888; de Sylva et al. 1962;

Richards and Castagna 1970; Zawacki and Briggs 1976;

Szedlmayer and Able 1996), jetties (Schwartz 1964), and

bridge abutments (Allen et al. 1978). Werme (1981)

reported that juvenile black sea bass (3.0-7.5 cm TL)

occupied a sandy, saltmarsh creek in southern Massachusetts

during August and September with juvenile tautog and

winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). There

were differences in diets among these species that would

limit competition.

Within structured nursery habitats, YOY black sea bass

display high habitat fidelity; they move very little and may

be territorial (Werme 1981; Able and Hales 1997). Able

and Fahay (1998) observed YOY black sea bass defending

a small shell used for shelter from others of its cohort.

There is a lack of information about winter habitats of

YOY and yearling black sea bass (M. Dixon, NMFS,

NEFSC, Milford Laboratory, Milford, CT, personal

communication). Yearlings winter on the continental shelf

and return to the estuaries the following spring (as early as

March in Chesapeake and other bays); more specific winter

habitat information is not available. Some individuals may

spend the warmer months along the coast in accumulations

of surf clam and ocean quahog shells, or in irregularities or

holes in exposed clay (Able et al. 1995a). When

temperatures drop below 14o

C, the juveniles gradually

migrate to deeper and warmer water; few are collected

below 6o

C (Able and Fahay 1998; Collette and KleinMacPhee, in prep.). At temperatures below 6o

C in

laboratory studies, juveniles bury in the sand; below 4o

C

they cease feeding and mortality increases (Hales and Able

1995). Juveniles that overwinter in shallow estuaries in New

Jersey can experience thermal stress and mortalities (Able

and Hales 1997). A sudden cold spell resulted in mortalities

in shallow nursery areas off southeastern New England

(Baird 1873). In warmer winters, juveniles overwinter

successfully in deeper waters of Chesapeake Bay (MAFMC

1996; Chesapeake Bay Program 1996). Able et al. (1995a)

reported that windrows, patches, or beds of empty, hinged

surf clam and ocean quahog shells may be important coastal

habitat for juvenile and sub-adult black sea bass.

ADULTS

Adult black sea bass orient to structures, especially

during their summer residency in coastal waters. Unlike

juveniles, adults tend to enter only larger estuaries and are

most abundant along the coast. Larger fish are found in

deeper water than smaller fish. They occur on shipwrecks,

rocky and artificial reefs, mussel beds, and other objects on

the bottom. They are usually observed by divers hovering

near or above these shelters and retreat into them if

threatened. They remain near structures during the day, but

can move away at dawn and dusk to feed on open bottom

(Steimle and Figley 1996).

A characteristic of the northern population of black sea

bass is their seasonal migration to southerly and offshore

wintering grounds. In the Middle Atlantic Bight, black sea

bass adults spend the winter on the middle to outer

continental shelf between 30-240 m (with some as deep as

410 m, but most between 60-150 m) generally south of the

Hudson Canyon off central New Jersey (Musick and Mercer

1977). Based on commercial catches, some fish spend the

winter in deep water (> 80 m) off southern New England

(Chang 1990; Kolek 1990; Bigelow and Schroeder 1953).

Water mass movements on the continental shelf influence

fish winter distribution. The distribution of bottom

temperatures > 7.5°C may define the potential winter

distribution of the species and its associates (Neville and

Talbot 1964). Larger fish (mostly males) tend to occur in

deeper water (Nesbit and Neville 1935; Musick and Mercer

1977; Able et al. 1995a). Off Virginia, artificial reefs and

wrecks are populated with active resident adult black sea

bass during most winters and support commercial and

recreational fisheries (Chee 1977; Adams 1993). Adams

(1993) observed that when bottom water temperatures were

near 6o

C on inshore artificial reefs, adult fish became

inactive and were often found resting in holes and crevices.

Schwartz (1964) reported adult black sea bass in aquaria at

15 ppt salinity stopped feeding at water temperatures below

8o

C and died at temperatures below about 2oC.

The offshore habitats occupied by adult black sea bass

during the winter are poorly known. There are speculative

and anecdotal reports that the northern population is

associated with rough bottom during the winter (Pearson

1932; June and Reintjes 1957; Neville and Talbot 1964).

The existence of significant amounts of rough bottom in

wintering areas has not been confirmed. Wigley and

Theroux (1981) characterized the wintering area as flat

sandy-silt with occasional areas of relict and active sand

waves of varying size, without hard bottom. There are

reports of hard bottom (consolidated clay or rock) near the

head of submarine canyons at the shelf edge and in a few

other isolated places (Emory and Uchupi 1972; Stanley et

al. 1972; Grimes et al. 1987). Scattered shipwrecks and

man-made debris are also available as offshore wintering

habitat. Shellfish beds (current and relict) and shallow pits

on the mid to outer shelf (possibly created by large crabs,

lobsters, or fish) could be used as sheltering habitat (Emory

and Uchupi 1972; Folger et al. 1979; Shepard et al. 1986;

Able et al. 1995a). Parker (1990) reports that black sea bass

burrow into sediments during cold spells off the Carolinas.

This behavior can explain how structure-associated black

sea bass accommodate themselves during the winter on the
Page 7

relatively featureless offshore continental shelf of the

Middle Atlantic Bight. However, burrowing in open, soft

sediments may not protect them from trawls or the possible

harm from suspended sediments (Churchill 1989). Several

other resource species use the same habitat as black sea bass

in the winter, including scup, summer flounder, butterfish,

squid, and American lobster (Chang 1990; Able and Kaiser

1994).

During the warmer months, adult black sea bass are

usually found inshore associated with structured habitats,

including eelgrass, oyster, and mussel beds, rocky reefs,

cobble and rock fields, stone coral patches, and exposed stiff

clay. Man-made structures include artificial reefs,

shipwrecks, bridge abutments, piers, pilings, jetties, groins,

submerged pipes and culverts, navigation aids, anchorages,

rip-rap barriers, fish and lobster traps, and rough bottom

along the sides of navigation channels. Towed nets do not

adequately sample these habitats. Richards (1963a, b) and

others reported that black sea bass in Long Island Sound are

usually found in structured habitats within areas of sandy

sediments and rarely in muddy areas. A continual supply of

shipwrecks and anthropogenic debris, and state-supervised

artificial reef programs, are increasing the quantity of habitat

available to this and associated species.

For adult black sea bass, bottom temperatures about 6-

7.5o

C or above are a critical factor in habitat use and

distribution (Colvocoresses and Musick 1984). In the

NEFSC groundfish survey, adults were most commonly

collected at water temperatures of 9-12o

C in the winter and

spring (Figure 6). The temperature distribution in the

summer when black sea bass occurred in shallow (10-20 m)

coastal areas was bimodal with peaks at about 10o

C and

25o

C (Figure 6). During the fall, adults were collected at 7-

27o

C; most fish were collected at 13-21oC with a secondary

peak at about 25-27o

C; fish were collected mostly in

relatively shallow water (< 50 m) (Figure 6).

In the spring Massachusetts surveys, black sea bass

were collected at bottom temperatures between 6-17o

C and

at depths < 35 m; most were in 11-14o

C and very shallow,

around 5 m (Figure 7). In the fall Massachusetts surveys,

they were collected at bottom temperatures between 14-23o

C

and at depths between 5-25 m, most were at depths of < 15

m (Figure 7). In Narragansett Bay, adult black sea bass 21-

41 cm TL were rarely caught in trawls (average catch of

0.036 individuals/tow). They were collected mainly in the

summer and fall at bottom temperatures between 13-20o

C

and at depths between 6-38 m (20-110 ft) (Figure 8). Adult

black sea bass dominated spring catches in central Long

Island Sound; a few were collected in the fall. Black sea

bass were collected at bottom temperatures of 6-18o

C, from

7-47 m, and at salinities between 25-30 ppt. Black sea bass

collected in the Hudson-Raritan estuary had similar

temperature and depth ranges; adult black sea bass were

collected at dissolved oxygen levels of > 5 mg/L (Figure 9).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

EGGS

Black sea bass eggs were collected during NEFSC

MARMAP surveys in the water column across most of the

continental shelf from North Carolina to Delaware, and in

the New York Bight (Figure 10; Berrien and Sibunka

1999), and have been reported in Buzzards Bay (Stone et al.

1994). The highest egg concentrations in Buzzards Bay

occurred between May and October, although they were also

collected in January and April (there were no surveys during

February). Eggs were collected inconsistently in Long

Island Sound (Merriman and Sclar 1952; Wheatland 1956;

Richards 1959) and were not collected in Delaware Bay

(Wang and Kernehan 1979) or Narragansett Bay (Bourne

and Govoni 1988). Eggs collected as early as January and

April off Cape Hatteras were probably the result of

spawning in the South Atlantic Bight and transport north by

the Gulf Stream, which flows close to the coast off Cape

Hatteras (Mercer 1978).

LARVAE

During the NEFSC MARMAP surveys, larvae were

collected from January to November from Cape Hatteras to

southern New England (Figure 11). Larvae first appeared

near Cape Hatteras and were collected progressively north

and shoreward mostly from June through October; a few

larvae were collected in November (Kendall 1972; Able et

al. 1995a). According to Pearson (1941), black sea bass

larvae were more commonly collected by plankton nets in

subsurface tows than by surface tows in June-July 1929-

1930 at the mouth of and in the lower Chesapeake Bay.

Larvae are rarely reported in estuaries. Pacheco and

Grant (1965) found black sea bass larvae in the Indian River

estuary (Delaware) in one of three survey years; a later twoyear survey found none in this estuary (Scotton 1970;

Derickson and Price 1973). Larvae were not reported in

Delaware Bay (Wang and Kernehan 1979), Great Bay (New

Jersey) (Able and Fahay 1998), or the Hudson-Raritan

estuary (Croker 1965; Dovel 1981). Few larvae were

collected in Cape Cod Bay (Scherer 1984), Narragansett

Bay (Herman 1962; Bourne and Govoni 1988), and other

southern New England estuaries (Stone et al. 1994). Neither

eggs nor larvae were collected in Mystic River estuary

(Connecticut) (Pearcy and Richards 1962). Larvae have

been reported in high salinity coastal areas of southern New

England in August and September (Stone et al. 1994;

Collette and Klein-MacPhee, in prep.). Able et al. (1995a),

discussing Kendall’s (1972) note about the absence of larvae

in many estuarine surveys, believe that larval settlement

occurs in nearshore marine waters, but usually not in

estuaries.
Page 8

JUVENILES

Recently settled juveniles occur in high salinity areas of

most estuaries from North Carolina to southern Cape Cod,

and occasionally into the southern Gulf of Maine, during the

warmer months. Juvenile black sea bass abundance varied

seasonally in the NEFSC fall groundfish surveys (Figure

12). In recent winter surveys, they were collected mostly

along the outer continental shelf south of Long Island. As

the continental shelf water warms in the spring, they were

collected inshore in the Chesapeake Bight. There were few

summer surveys, but juveniles were collected in several

coastal areas mostly south of New Jersey. However, during

this season many juveniles inhabit estuaries or submerged

coastal reefs, wrecks, and other structures that are outside of

the NEFSC survey area or are poorly sampled by trawl. In

the fall, juveniles were common along the coast from

southern New England to Maryland, and across the shelf off

Virginia-North Carolina; this probably reflects their

migration out of shallow coastal areas as these waters

cooled.

Only a few juvenile black sea bass were collected in the

spring in Massachusetts trawl surveys (Figure 13). They

were abundant in the fall south and west of Cape Cod and a

few were collected in Cape Cod Bay (Figures 12, 13). In

Narragansett Bay, juvenile black sea bass were uncommon

but they occurred in most areas (Figure 14); the largest mean

catch (1.3 individuals/tow) came from Mount Hope Bay

during the summer. Juveniles and adults were widespread

in the fall in Long Island Sound (Figure 15). In the HudsonRaritan estuary, juvenile black sea bass were collected from

spring through fall (Figure 16); they were more abundant in

1997 than in the other years of the survey (1992-1997).

Mansueti (1955) reported that juvenile black sea bass were

common in the lower Potomac River (Maryland-Virginia).

ADULTS

The geographic distribution of the northern population

of adult black sea bass is similar to the distribution of

juveniles, although adults tend to prefer deeper bays and

coastal waters over estuaries. Briggs (1979) suggested that

once black sea bass find suitable summer habitat in New

York waters, they remain until the fall migration; adult

habitat fidelity is consistent with juvenile behavior (Able

and Hales 1997).

Black sea bass is normally considered a reef fish. In the

warmer months, they are usually closely associated with

sheltering habitat in estuarine and coastal waters, generally

at depths < 40 m, but they have a wider distribution in the

Chesapeake Bight (Figure 12). Bigelow and Schroeder

(1953) and Collette and Hartel (1988) reported occurrences

of black sea bass in Massachusetts Bay at the turn of the

century and occasionally since then (e.g., Figure 13), but

they are rarely caught off New Hampshire and largely absent

off Maine and on Georges Bank (Figure 12). At one time,

they were captured by gill net over rocky bottom in Maine

(Ojeda and Dearborn 1989). Adults were relatively

common in the spring in the Massachusetts trawl surveys

(Figure 13). In Narragansett Bay adults were rare, but they

were collected from a wide range of sites from spring to fall

(Figure 14). In Long Island Sound, adults were most

common in the spring survey in the central sound (Figure

15). Adult black sea bass were never common in the

Hudson-Raritan estuary (Figure 16).

STATUS OF THE STOCKS

The black sea bass population in the Middle Atlantic

Bight is presently overexploited (National Marine Fisheries

Service 1997). Recent CPUE and survey indices have been

moderate to low compared to levels in the mid-1970s

(Figure 17) and before 1965. Juvenile recruitment was poor

in 1992-1993 and above average in 1994 (Shepherd 1998;

MAFMC 1996; Northeast Fisheries Science Center 1997).

Spawning stock estimates suggest that the population has

been relatively stable since 1984 (Northeast Fisheries

Science Center 1997). There were no apparent differences

in the distributions of juvenile and adult black sea bass

between periods of high (1975-1979) and low (1990-1997)

abundance (Northeast Fisheries Science Center, unpublished

data). Arve (1960) attributed declining black sea bass

catches in the late 1950s (compared to the relatively high

levels of the early 1950s) to a decline in oyster beds.

RESEARCH NEEDS

More information is needed on the use of artificial reefs

by black sea bass. The following ideas were discussed in

several papers in Fisheries (American Fisheries Society,

April 1997, Volume 22, Number 4), a special issue on

artificial reef management.

• What mechanisms or processes enhance black sea bass

production on reefs (e.g., reducing habitat limitation,

enhancing larval settlement, alleviating post-settlement

demographic bottlenecks, enhancing reef and near-reef

food webs)?

• How can artificial reefs and habitats be designed to

enhance survival and growth of juvenile and adult black

sea bass?

• Are black sea bass habitat limited such that habitat

restoration or enhancement is required?

More general research needs include:

• What habitats are used during the winter on the

continental shelf in the Middle Atlantic Bight? Where

do 1-2 year old juveniles spend the winter? Some may

remain in estuaries while others may move to coastal or

inner shelf shell beds (Able et al. 1995a; M. Dixon,

personal communication).

• What are the winter diets of juveniles? Feeding may be

reduced at low temperatures.
Page 9

• Clam shell beds nearshore may provide important

habitat at all times of the year, but little is known of

distributions of dead shells or spatial and temporal

trends in shell beds.

• Do young-of-the-year black sea bass that overwinter

offshore return to their natal estuary the following

spring (Able and Fahay 1998)?

Adams (1993) identified the following information needs:

• Tagging studies to track seasonal migration patterns and

identify habitats.

• Dietary studies to evaluate the value of specific habitats.

• The relationship between habitat structural complexity,

black sea bass abundance, and fish community

composition.

• Suitable habitats for juvenile black sea bass in coastal

areas.

• If black sea bass are territorial.

• Spawning areas, behaviors, and feeding during

spawning.

The Chesapeake Bay Program (1996) Black Sea Bass

Fishery Management Plan lists the following research needs:

• Seasonal distribution and migration studies to determine

size distribution and sex ratios in various areas.

• Identify spawning areas, determine spawning

production, and estimate optimum size for female

maximum viable egg production.

• Quantify the diet and seasonal changes in the diet [i.e.,

seasonal importance of blue mussels (Mytilus) and other

reef fauna].

• Determine the optimum size of submerged aquatic

vegetation beds and oyster reefs necessary for nursery

and refuge grounds for juveniles.

• Investigate the transport mechanism of newly settled

juveniles from the coastal zone to estuarine nurseries

(Able and Fahay 1998).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors had abundant assistance from C. Steimle,

J. Berrien, and R. Ramsey-Cross, who provided literature

searches, interlibrary loans, and reference material; and D.

McMillan, W. Morse, R. Pikanowski, D. Johnson, S.

Griesbach, J. Vitaliano, and others who helped locate and

retrieve data to make the maps, figures, and tables.

REFERENCES CITED

Able, K.W. and M.P. Fahay. 1998. The first year in the life

of estuarine fishes in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Rutgers

Univ. Press, New Brunswick, NJ. 342 p.

Able, K.W., M.P. Fahay, and G.R. Shepherd. 1995a. Early

life history of black sea bass, Centropristis striata, in

the Mid-Atlantic Bight and a New Jersey estuary. Fish.

Bull. (U.S.) 93: 429-445.

Able, K.W. and L.S. Hales, Jr. 1997. Movements of juvenile

black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus) in a

southern New Jersey estuary. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.

213: 153-167.

Able, K.W. and S.C. Kaiser. 1994. Synthesis of summer

flounder habitat parameters. NOAA Coastal Ocean

Program, Decision Analysis Series No. 1. NOAA

Coastal Ocean Office, Silver Spring, MD. 68 p.

Able, K.W., A.L. Studholme, and J.P. Manderson. 1995b.

Habitat quality in the New York/New Jersey Harbor

estuary: An evaluation of pier effects on fishes. Final

report to the Hudson River Foundation. Rutgers Univ.

Marine Field Station, Institute of Marine and Coastal

Sciences, Tuckerton, NJ and NOAA/National Marine

Fisheries Service/NEFSC, James J. Howard Marine

Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ. 85 p.

Adams, A.J. 1993. Dynamics of fish assemblages associated

with an offshore artificial reef in the southern MidAtlantic Bight. M.A. thesis, Coll. William and Mary,

Williamsburg, VA. 98 p.

Alexander, M.S. 1981. Population response of the sequential

hermaphrodite black sea bass, Centropristis striata, to

fishing. M.S. thesis, State Univ. of New York, Stony

Brook. 104 p.

Allen, D.M., J.P. Clymer, III, and S.S. Herman. 1978. Fishes

of Hereford Inlet estuary, southern New Jersey. Lehigh

Univ., Dept. Biol. and Cent. Mar. Environ. Stud. and

the Wetlands Institute. 138 p.

Arai, M.N. 1988. Interactions of fish and pelagic

coelenterates. Can. J. Zool. 66: 1913-1927.

Arve, J. 1960. Preliminary report on attracting fish by

oyster-shell plantings in Chincoteague Bay, Maryland.

Chesapeake Sci. 1: 58-65.

Austen, D.J., P.B. Bayley, and B.W. Menzel. 1994.

Importance of the guild concept to fisheries research

and management. Fisheries (Bethesda) 19(6): 12-20.

Azarovitz, T.R., C.J. Byrne, M.J. Silverman, B.L. Freeman,

W.G. Smith, S.C. Turner, B.A. Halgren, and P.J. Festa.

1979. Effects on finfish and lobster. In R.L. Swanson

and C.J. Sindermann eds. Oxygen depletion and

associated benthic mortalities in the New York Bight,

1976. p. 295-314. NOAA Prof. Pap. 11. U.S. Dep.

Commer. Natl. Ocean. Atmos. Adm., Rockville, MD.

Baird, S.F. 1873. Natural history of some of the more

important food-fishes of the south shore of New

England. In Report on the condition of the sea fisheries

of the south coast of New England in 1871 and 1872. p.

228-252. Rep. Commissioner U.S. Comm. Fish.

Fisheries. Pt. I

Bean, T.H. 1888. Report on the fishes observed in Great

Egg Harbor, New Jersey, during the summer of 1887.

Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. 7: 129-154.

Bean, T.H. 1902. Food and game fishes of New York. In 7th

Rep. Forest, Fish and Game Comm., State of N.Y. p.

251-460.

Beebe, W. and J. Tee-Van 1933. Field book of the shore

fishes of Bermuda. Putnam, NY. 337 p.

Berrien, P. and J. Sibunka. 1999. Distribution patterns of

fish eggs in the United States northeast continental
Page 10

shelf ecosystem, 1977-1987. NOAA Tech. Rep.

NMFS 145. 310 p.

Bigelow, H.B. and W.C. Schroeder. 1953. Fishes of the Gulf

of Maine. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish Bull. 53. 577 p.

Boehlert, G.W. and B.C. Mundy. 1988. Roles of behavioral

and physical factors in larval and juvenile recruitment

to estuarine nursery areas. In M.P. Weinstein ed. Larval

fish and shellfish transport through inlets. p. 51-67.

American Fisheries Society Symposium 3. American

Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.

Bourne, D.W. and J.J. Govoni. 1988. Distribution of fish

eggs and larvae and patterns of water circulation in

Narragansett Bay, 1972-1973. In M.P. Weinstein ed.

Larval fish and shellfish transport through inlets. p.

132-148. American Fisheries Society Symposium 3.

American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.

Bowen, B.W. and J.C. Avise. 1990. Genetic structure of

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico populations of sea bass,

menhaden, and sturgeon: influence of zoogeographic

factors and life-history patterns. Mar. Biol. 107: 371-

381.

Breder, C.M., Jr. 1922. The fishes of Sandy Hook Bay.

Zoologica (N.Y.) 2(15): 330-351.

Breder, C.M., Jr. 1932. A record of Sarda velox and notes

on other Block Island fishes. Copeia 1932(1): 31-32.

Breder, C.M., Jr. and D.E. Rosen. 1966. Modes of

reproduction in fishes. Natural History Press, Garden

City, NY. 941 p.

Briggs, P.T. 1979. Black sea bass in New York waters. N.Y.

Fish Game J. 25: 45-58.

Brown, S.K., R. Mahon, K.C.T. Zwanenburg, K.R. Buja,

L.W. Claflin, R.N. O’Boyle, B. Atkinson, M. Sinclair,

G. Howell, and M.E. Monaco. 1996. East coast of

North America groundfish: Initial explorations of

biogeography and species assemblages. National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver

Spring, MD and Department of Fisheries and Oceans,

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. 111 p.

Caruso, P.G. 1995. The biology and fisheries of black sea

bass (Centropristis striata) in Massachusetts waters.

M.S. thesis, Univ. Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. 117 p.

Chang, S. 1990. Seasonal distribution patterns of

commercial landings of 45 species off the northeastern

United States during 1977-88. NOAA Tech. Mem.

NMFS-F/NEC-78. 130 p.

Chee, P.K. 1977. Feeding habits of black sea bass

Centropristis striata on an artificial reef off Virginia.

(Perciformes: Serranidae). M.S. thesis, Old Dominion

Univ., Norfolk, VA. 51 p.

Chesapeake Bay Program. 1996. Chesapeake Bay and

Atlantic coast black sea bass fishery management plan.

U.S. Environ. Prot. Agency Rep. 903-R-96-009

(CBP/TRS 151a/96). 57 p.

Churchill, J.H. 1989. The effect of commercial trawling on

sediment resuspension and transport over the Middle

Atlantic Bight continental shelf. Continent. Shelf Res.

9: 841-865.

Clayton, G., C. Cole, S. Murawski, and J. Parrish. 1978.

Common marine fishes of coastal Massachusetts.

Contrib. 54., Mass. Coop. Fish. Res. Prog. Univ. Mass.,

Amherst, MA. 231 p.

Collette, B.B. and K.E. Hartel. 1988. An annotated list of

the fishes of Massachusetts Bay. NOAA Tech. Mem.

NMFS-F/NEC-51. 70 p.

Collette, B.B. and G. Klein-MacPhee. In preparation. Black

sea bass Centropristes striata (Linnaeus 1758). In B.B.

Collette and G. Klein-MacPhee eds. Bigelow &

Schroeder’s fishes of the Gulf of Maine. Smithsonian

Institution Press, Washington, DC.

Colvocoresses, J.A. and J.A. Musick. 1984. Species

associations and community composition of Middle

Atlantic Bight continental shelf demersal fishes. Fish.

Bull. (U.S.) 82: 295-313.

Cowen, R.K., J.A. Hare, and M.P. Fahay. 1993. Beyond

hydrography: Can physical processes explain larval fish

assemblages within the Middle Atlantic Bight? Bull.

Mar. Sci. 53: 567-587.

Croker, R.A. 1965. Planktonic fish eggs and larvae of Sandy

Hook estuary. Chesapeake Sci. 6: 92-95.

Cupka, D.M., R.K. Diaz, and J.Tucker. 1973. Aspects of the

fishery for and biology of Centropristis striata in South

Carolina waters. South Carolina Dep. Wildl. Resour.

Annu. Rep. Proj. 2-138-R01. 64 p.

Derickson, W.K. and K.S. Price, Jr. 1973. The fishes of the

shore zone of Rehoboth and Indian River bays,

Delaware. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 102: 552-562.

Dery, L.M. and J.P. Mayo. 1988. Black sea bass

Centropristis striata. In J. Pentilla and L.M. Dery eds.

Age determination methods for northwest Atlantic

species. p. 59-61. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 72.

de Sylva, D.P., F.A. Kalber, Jr. and C.N. Shuster. 1962.

Fishes and ecological conditions in the shore zone of

the Delaware River estuary, with notes on other species

collected in deeper waters. Univ. Delaware Mar. Lab.,

Inform. Ser. Publ. No. 5. 164 p.

DeWitt, H.H., P.A. Grecay, J.S. Hacunda, B.P. Lindsay,

R.F. Shaw, and D.W. Townsend. 1981. An addition to

the fish fauna of the Gulf of Maine with records of rare

species. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 94: 669-674.

Dovel, W.L. 1981. Ichthyoplankton of the lower Hudson

estuary, New York. N.Y. Fish Game J. 28: 21-39.

Eklund, A.-M. and T.E. Targett. 1990. Reproductive

seasonality of fishes inhabiting hard bottom areas in the

Middle Atlantic Bight. Copeia 1990(4): 1180-1184.

Eklund, A.-M. and T.E. Targett. 1991. Seasonality of fish

catch rates and species composition from the hard

bottom trap fishery in the Middle Atlantic Bight (US

east coast). Fish. Res. 12: 1-22.

Emory, K.O. and E. Uchupi. 1972. Western Atlantic Ocean:

topography, rocks, structure, water, life, and sediments.

Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Mem. 17: 1-532.

Fahay, M.P. 1983. Guide to the early stages of marine fishes

occurring in the western North Atlantic Ocean, Cape

Hatteras to the southern Scotian Shelf. J. Northwest Atl.

Fish. Sci. 4: 1-423.

Feigenbaum, D., M. Bushing, J. Woodward, and A.
Page 11

Friedlander. 1989. Artificial reefs in Chesapeake Bay

and nearby coastal waters. Bull. Mar. Sci. 44: 734-742.

Festa, P.J. 1979. Analysis of the fish forage base in the Little

Egg Harbor Estuary. New Jersey Dep. Environ. Prot.,

Div. Fish Game & Shellfish., Bureau of Fish. Nacote

Creek, NJ, Tech. Rep. No. 24M. 271 p.

Folger, D.W., H.D. Folger, and R.A. Slater. 1979. Two

waste disposal sites in the continental shelf off the

Middle Atlantic States: observations made from

submersibles. In H.D. Palmer and M.G. Gross eds.

Ocean dumping and marine pollution: geological

aspects of waste disposals. p. 163-184. Dowden,

Hutchinson and Ross, Inc., Stoudsburg, PA.

Gabriel, W.L. 1992. Persistence of demersal fish

assemblages between Cape Hatteras and Nova Scotia,

northwest Atlantic. J. Northwest Atl. Fish. Sci. 14: 29-

46.

Goode, G.B. 1884. The fisheries and fishery industries of

the United States. Section 1. Natural history of useful

aquatic animals. Govt. Print. Office. Washington, DC.

Plates.

Gottschall, K., M. Johnson and D. Simpson. In review.

Distribution and size composition of finfish, American

lobster, and longfin squid in Long Island Sound, based

on Connecticut Fisheries Division bottom trawl survey,

1984-1994. NOAA Tech. Rep.

Grimes, C.B., K.W. Able, R.S. Jones, D.C. Twichell, and

S.C. Turner. 1987. Studies on tilefish fishery, biology,

ecology and bioerosion on the Middle Atlantic and

southern New England continental shelf. NOAA Symp.

Ser. Undersea Res. 2(2): 49-69.

Hales, L.S., Jr. and K.W. Able. 1994. Habitat fidelity,

movements, and growth of juvenile black sea bass

(Centropristis striata) at a polyhaline site in Great Bay

estuary, New Jersey. Proceedings Atlantic Estuarine

Research Society Meetings. Abstract. Spring 1994.

Atlantic City, NJ.

Hales, L.S., Jr. and K.W. Able. 1995. Effects of oxygen

concentration on somatic and otolith growth rates of

juvenile black sea bass, Centropristis striata. In D.H.

Secor, J.M. Dean, and S.M. Campana eds. Recent

developments in fish otolith research. p. 135-153. Univ.

South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC.

Hartman, K.J. and S.B. Brandt. 1995. Trophic resource

partitioning, diets, and growth of sympatric estuarine

predators. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 124: 520-537.

Herman, S.S. 1962. Planktonic fish eggs and larvae of

Narragansett Bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 8: 103-109.

Hildebrand, S.F. and W.C. Schroeder. 1928. Fishes of

Chesapeake Bay. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish. 43(1): 366 p.

Hoff, F.H., Jr. 1970. Artificial spawning of the black sea

bass, Centropristes striatus melanus Ginsberg, aided by

chorionic gonadotrophic hormones. Florida Dep. Nat.

Resour. Mar. Res. Lab., Spec. Sci. Rep. 25. 17 p.

Howells, R.G. and H.M Brundage, III. 1977. Fishes of

Arthur Kill. Proc. Staten Island Inst. Arts Sci. 29(1): 3-

6.

Huntsman, G.R., W.R. Nicholson, and W.W. Fox, Jr. eds.

1982. The biological bases for reef fishery

management. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFS-SEFC-80.

216 p.

June, F.C. and J.W. Reintjes. 1957. Survey of the ocean

fisheries off Delaware Bay. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv.

Spec. Sci. Rep. No. 222. 55 p.

Kendall, A.W., Jr. 1972. Description of black sea bass,

Centropristis striata, (Linnaeus), larvae and their

occurrence north of Cape Lookout, North Carolina.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 70: 1243-1259.

Kendall, A.W. 1977. Biological and fisheries data on black

sea bass, Centropristis striata (Linnaeus). U.S. Natl.

Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Cent. Sandy Hook

Lab. Tech. Ser. Rep No. 7. 29 p.

Kim, J.W. 1987. Growth potential of young black sea bass,

Centropristis striata, in artificial environments. Ph.D.

dissertation, Old Dominion Univ., Williamsburg, VA.

220 p.

Kimmel, J.J. 1973. Food and feeding of fishes from

Magothy Bay, Virginia. M.S. thesis, Old Dominion

Univ., Williamsburg, VA. 190 p.

Kolek, D. 1990. Homing of black sea bass, Centropristis

striata, in Nantucket Sound with comments on seasonal

distribution, growth rates, and fisheries of the species.

Massachusetts Div. Mar. Fish. Pocassett, MA. 12 p.

Lavenda, N. 1949. Sexual differences and normal

protogynous hermaphroditism in the Atlantic sea bass,

Centropristes striatus. Copeia 1949 (3): 185-194.

Link, G.W., Jr. 1980. Age, growth, reproduction, feeding,

and ecological observations on three species of

Centropristis (Pisces: Serranidae) in North Carolina

waters. Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. North Carolina,

Chapel Hill, NC. 277 p.

Mack, R.G., Jr. and R.E. Bowman. 1983. Food and feeding

of black sea bass (Centropristis striata). U.S. Natl. Mar.

Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Cent. Woods Hole Lab.,

Ref. Doc. No. 83-45. 20 p.

[MAFMC] Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

1996. Amendment 9 to the summer flounder Fishery

Management Plan: Fishery Management Plan and draft

environmental impact statement for the black sea bass

fishery. June 1996. MAFMC. [Dover, DE]. 152 p. +

appendices.

Mansueti, R., 1955. Important Potomac River fishes

recorded from marine and fresh waters between Point

Lookout, St. Mary’s County, and Little Falls,

Montgomery County, Maryland, with a bibliography to

Potomac fisheries. Maryland Dep. Research Education,

Chesapeake Biol. Lab., Solomons, MD, Mimeo.

Marcellus, K.L. 1972. Fishes of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey,

with particular reference to seasonal influences and the

possible effects of thermal discharges. Ph.D.

dissertation, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ. 190 p.

Mercer, L.P. 1978. The reproductive biology and population

dynamics of black sea bass, Centropristis striata. Ph.D.

dissertation, Coll. William and Mary, Williamsburg,

VA. 195 p.

Merriman, D. and R.C. Sclar. 1952. The pelagic fish eggs
Page 12

and larvae of Block Island Sound. In G.A. Riley et al.

eds. Hydrographic and biological studies of Block

Island Sound. p. 165-219. Bull. Bingham Oceanogr.

Collect. 13.

Miller, R.J. 1959. A review of the sea basses of the genus

Centropristis (Serranidae). Tulane Stud. Zool. Bot.

7(2): 35-68.

Moore, H.F. 1892. List of fishes collected at Sea Isle City,

New Jersey, during the summer of 1892. Bull. U.S.

Fish. Comm. 12: 357-364.

Musick, J.A. and L.P. Mercer. 1977. Seasonal distribution

of black sea bass, Centropristis striata, in the MidAtlantic Bight with comments on the ecology and

fisheries of the species. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 106: 12-

25.

National Marine Fisheries Service. 1997. Report to

Congress. Status of fisheries of the United States:

Report on the status of fisheries of the United States.

September 1997. [Homepage of the National Marine

Fisheries Service]. [Online]. Available: http://www.

nmfs.gov/sfa/Fstatus.html.

Nesbit, R.A. and W.C. Neville. 1935. Conditions affecting

the southern winter trawl fishery. U.S. Dep. Commer.

Bur. Fish., Fish. Circ. No. 18. 12 p.

Neville, W.C. and G.B. Talbot. 1964. The fishery for scup

with special reference to fluctuations in yield and their

causes. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. No.

459. 61 p.

Nichols, J.T. and C.M. Breder, Jr. 1927. The marine fishes

of New York and southern New England. Zoologica

(N.Y.) 9: 1-192.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1997. Report of the 25th

Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (25th

SAW): Stock Assessment Review Committee (SARC)

consensus summary of assessments. Northeast Fish. Sci.

Cent. Ref. Doc. 97-14. 143 p.

O’Brien, L., J. Burnett, and R.K. Mayo. 1993. Maturation of

nineteen species of finfish off the northeast coast of the

United States, 1985-1990. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS

113. 66 p.

Ogren, L. and J. Chess. 1969. A marine kill on New Jersey

wrecks. Underw. Nat. 6(2): 4-12.

Ojeda, F.P. and J.H. Dearborn. 1989. Diversity, abundance,

and spatial distribution of fishes and crustaceans in the

rocky subtidal zone of the Gulf of Maine. Fish. Bull.

(U.S.) 88: 403-410.

Orth, R.J. and K.L. Heck, Jr. 1980. Structural components

of eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows in the lower

Chesapeake Bay-fishes. Estuaries 3: 278-288.

Pacheco, A.L. and G.C. Grant. 1965. Studies of the early life

history of Atlantic menhaden in estuarine nurseries. Part

1. Seasonal occurrence of juvenile menhaden and other

small fishes in a tributary of Indian River, Delaware,

1957-1958. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish.

504. 32 p.

Parker, R.O., Jr. 1990. Tagging studies and diver

observations of fish populations on live-bottom reefs of

the U.S. southeastern coast. Bull. Mar. Sci. 46: 749-

760.

Pearcy, W.G. and S.W. Richards. 1962. Distribution and

ecology of fishes of the Mystic River estuary,

Connecticut. Ecology 43: 248-259.

Pearson, J.C. 1932. Winter trawl fishery off Virginia and

North Carolina coasts. U.S. Dep. Commer., Bur. Fish.

Invest. Rep. 1(10): 31 p.

Pearson, J.C. 1941. The young of some marine fishes taken

in the lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, with special

reference to the gray sea trout, Cynoscion regalis

(Bloch). Fish. Bull. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 50: 79-102.

Phoel, W.C. 1985. Community structure of demersal fishes

on the inshore U.S. Atlantic continental shelf: Cape

Ann, MA. to Cape Fear, N.C. Ph.D. dissertation, Coll.

William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 94 p.

Reiss, C.S. and J.R. McConaugha. 1999. Cross-fronted

transport and distribution of ichthyoplankton associated

with Chesapeake Bay plume dynamics. Continent. Shelf

Res. 19: 151-170.

Reid, R., F. Almeida, and C. Zetlin. 1999. Essential fish

habitat source document: Fishery independent surveys,

data sources, and methods. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFSNE-122. 39 p.

Richards, C.E. and M. Castagna. 1970. Marine fishes of

Virginia’s eastern shore (inlet and marsh, seaside

waters). Chesapeake Sci. 11: 235-248.

Richards, S.W. 1959. Pelagic fish eggs and larvae of Long

Island Sound. In G.A. Riley et al. eds. Oceanography of

Long Island Sound. p. 95-124. Bull. Bingham

Oceanogr. Collect. 17.

Richards, S.W. 1963a. The demersal fish population of

Long Island Sound. II. Food of the juveniles from a

sand-shell locality (Station 1). Bull. Bingham

Oceanogr. Collect. 18: 32-72.

Richards, S.W. 1963b. The demersal fish population of

Long Island Sound. III. Food of the juveniles from a

mud locality (Station 3A). Bull. Bingham Oceanogr.

Collect. 18: 73-93.

Richards, W.J. and K.C. Lindeman. 1987. Recruitment

dynamics of reef fishes: planktonic processes,

settlement and demersal ecologies, and fishery analysis.

Bull. Mar. Sci. 41: 392-410.

Scattergood, L.W. 1952. Notes on Gulf of Maine fishes in

1950 and 1951. Copeia 1952(3): 205-206.

Scherer, M.D. 1984. The ichthyoplankton of Cape Cod Bay.

In J.D. Davis and D. Merriman eds. Observations on

the ecology and biology of western Cape Cod Bay,

Massachusetts. p. 151-190. Lecture Notes on Coastal

and Estuarine Studies No. 11. Springer-Verlag, New

York, NY.

Schwartz, F.J. 1961. Fishes of Chincoteague and Sinepuxent

bays. Am. Midl. Nat. 65: 384-408.

Schwartz, F.J. 1964. Fishes of Isle of Wight and Assawoman

bays near Ocean City, Maryland. Chesapeake Sci. 5:

172-193.

Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott. 1988. Atlantic fishes of

Canada. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 219: 731 p.

Scotton, L.N. 1970. Occurrence and distribution of larval
Page 13

fishes in the Rehoboth and Indian River bays of

Delaware. M.S. thesis, Univ. Delaware, Lewes, DE. 66

p.

Shepard, A.N., R.B. Theroux, R.A. Cooper, and J.R.

Uzmann. 1986. Ecology of ceriantharia (Coelenterata,

Anthozoa) of the northwest Atlantic from Cape Hatteras

to Nova Scotia. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 84: 625-646.

Shepherd, G. 1991. Meristic and morphometric variation in

black sea bass north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Am. J. Fish. Manage. 11: 139-148.

Shepherd, G. 1998. Black sea bass. In S.H. Clark ed. Status

of the fishery resources off the northeastern United

States for 1998. p. 92-93. NOAA Tech. Mem. NMFSNE-115.

Shepherd, G.R. and J.S. Idoine. 1993. Length-based

analyses of yield and spawning biomass per recruit for

black sea bass Centropristis striata, a protogynous

hermaphrodite. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 91: 328-337.

Shepherd, G.R. and M. Terceiro. 1994. The summer

flounder, scup and black sea bass fishery of the Middle

Atlantic Bight and southern New England waters.

NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 122. 13 p.

Sherwood, G.H. and V.N. Edwards. 1902. Notes on the

migration, spawning, abundance, etc. of certain fishes

in 1900. Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. 21: 27-31.

Short, F.T. ed. 1992. The ecology of the Great Bay Estuary,

New Hampshire and Maine: an estuarine profile and

bibliography. Jackson Estuarine Laboratory

Contribution No. 264. Jackson Estuarine Laboratory,

Univ. New Hampshire, Durham, NH. 222 p.

Smith, H.M. 1907. The fishes of North Carolina. E.M.

Uzzell & Co., Raleigh, NC. 453 p.

Stanley, D.J., P. Fenner, and G. Kelling. 1972. Currents and

sediment transport at the Wilmington Canyon

shelfbreak, as observed by underwater television. In

D.J.P. Swift, D.B. Duane, and O.H. Pilkey eds. Shelf

sediment transport: process and pattern. p. 621-644.

Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Inc., Stroudsburg, PA.

Steimle, F.W. 1990. Benthic macrofauna and habitat

monitoring on the continental shelf of the northeastern

United States. I. Biomass. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS

86. 28 p.

Steimle, F.W. and W. Figley. 1996. The importance of

artificial reef epifauna to black sea bass diets in the

Middle Atlantic Bight. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 16:

433-439.

Steimle, F.W., Jr. and L. Ogren. 1982. Food of fish collected

on artificial reefs in the New York Bight and off

Charleston, South Carolina. Mar. Fish. Rev. 44(6-7):

49-52.

Steimle, F.W. and D. Radosh. 1979. Effects on the benthic

community. In R. Swanson and C. Sindermann eds.

Oxygen depletion and associated benthic mortalities in

the New York Bight, 1976. p. 281-293. NOAA Prof.

Pap. 11.

Stone, S.L., T.A. Lowery, J.D. Field, C.D. Williams, D.M.

Nelson, S.H. Jury, M.E. Monaco, and L. Andreasen.

1994. Distribution and abundance of fishes and

invertebrates in Mid-Atlantic estuaries. ELMR Rep. No.

12. NOAA/NOS Strategic Environmental Assessments

Division, Silver Spring, MD. 280 p.

Szedlmayer, S.T. and K.W. Able. 1996. Patterns of seasonal

availability and habitat use by fishes and decapod

crustaceans in a southern New Jersey estuary. Estuaries

19: 697-709.

Tatham, T.R., D.L. Thomas, and D.J. Danila. 1984. Fishes

of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. In M.J. Kennish and R.A.

Lutz eds. Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. p. 241-

280. Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies.

No. 6. Springer-Verlag, NY.

Tucker, J.W., Jr. 1989. Energy utilization in bay anchovy,

Anchoa mitchilli, and black sea bass, Centropristis

striata, eggs and larvae. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 87: 279-293.

Verrill, A.E. 1873. Report on the invertebrate animals of

Vineyard Sound and adjacent waters, with an account

of the physical features of the region. Rep. U.S. Comm.

Fish Fisheries 1871-1872: 295-778.

Vouglitois, J.J. 1983. The ichthyofauna of Barnegat Bay,

New Jersey - relationships between long term

temperature fluctuations and the population dynamics

and life history of temperate estuarine fishes during a

five year period, 1976-1980. M.S. thesis, Rutgers

Univ., New Brunswick, NJ. 304 p.

Wang, J.C.S. and R.J. Kernehan. 1979. Fishes of Delaware

estuaries: A guide to the early life histories. EA

Communications, Ecological Analysts, Inc., Towson,

MD. 410 p.

Weinstein, M.P. and H.A. Brooks. 1983. Comparative

ecology of nekton residing in a tidal creek and adjacent

seagrass meadow: community composition and

structure. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 12: 15-27.

Wenner, C.A., W.A. Roumillat, and C.W. Waltz. 1986.

Contributions to the life history of black sea bass,

Centropristis striata, off the southeastern United States.

Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 84: 723-741.

Werme, C.E. 1981. Resource partitioning in a salt marsh

fish community. Ph.D. dissertation, Boston Univ.,

Boston, MA. 132 p.

Wheatland, S.B. 1956. Pelagic fish eggs and larvae. In G.A.

Riley et al. eds. Oceanography of Long Island Sound,

1952-1954. p. 234-314. Bull. Bingham Oceanogr.

Collect. 15.

Wigley, R.L. and R.B. Theroux. 1981. Atlantic continental

shelf and slope of the United States - macrobenthic

invertebrate fauna of the Middle Atlantic Bight region

- faunal composition and quantitative distribution. U.S.

Dep. Inter., Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 529-N, Woods Hole

Oceangr. Instit. Woods Hole, MA. 198 p.

Wilk, S.J., E.M. MacHaffie, D.G. McMillan, A.J. Pacheco,

R.A. Pikanowski, and L.L. Stehlik. 1996. Fish,

megainvertebrates, and associated hydrographic

observations collected in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary,

January 1992-December 1993. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish.

Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 96-14. 95 p.

Wilk, S.J., D.G. McMillan, R.A. Pikanowski, E.M.

MacHaffie, A.L. Pacheco, and L.L. Stehlik. 1997. Fish,
Page 14

megainvertebrates, and associated hydrographic

observations collected in Newark Bay, New Jersey,

during May 1993-April 1994. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish.

Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 97-10. 91 p.

Wilk, S.J., W.W. Morse, and D.E. Ralph. 1978. Lengthweight relationships of fishes collected in the New York

Bight. Bull. N.J. Acad. Sci. 23(2): 58-64.

Wilk, S.J., W.W. Morse, and L.L. Stehlik. 1990. Annual

cycles of gonad-somatic indices as indicators of

spawning activity for selected species of finfish

collected from the New York Bight. Fish. Bull. (U.S.)

88: 775-786.

Wilson, H.V. 1891. The embryology of the sea bass

(Serranus atrarius). Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 9: 209-277.

Zawacki, C.S. and P.T. Briggs. 1976. Fish investigations in

Long Island Sound at nuclear power station site at

Shoreham, New York. N.Y. Fish Game J. 23: 34-50.
Page 15

Table 1. Summary of life history and habitat characteristics for black sea bass, Centropristis striata. (YOY = young-ofthe-year; SNE = southern New England; MAB = Middle Atlantic Bight; GOM = Gulf of Maine).

Life Stage Time of Year Size and

Growth

Geographic

Location Habitat Substrate

Eggs May-Oct;

appear earlier

in south and

later in north

0.9-1.0 mm;

incubation 2-5

days

Coastal MAB;

rarely in

estuaries

Upper water

column, shore to

> 200 m depth off

Virginia

Buoyant in upper water

column

Larvae May-Nov; peak

June-July;

appear earlier

in south and

later in north

Hatch at ~2.1

mm; stage lasts

to ~15 mm

transition

MAB, near

shore, mouths

of some

estuaries, but

rarely in them

As for eggs, < 100

m until transition

to juveniles

Upper water column

until transition to

juveniles

Juveniles

YOY

April-Dec;

most settle

June-Nov

~10-16 mm to

100 mm TL by

Nov

MAB into

GOM, inshore

and into

estuaries midlate summer

Estuarine -

coastal; ~1-38 m;

salt marsh edges

& channels; high

habitat fidelity

Rough bottom,

shellfish, sponge, and

eelgrass beds,

nearshore shell patches,

man-made objects

Juveniles

Winter

Dec-April ~2-12 cm;

growth rate

reduced

MAB: Most

move offshore

and south of

New Jersey to

warmer, deeper

waters

Mostly deeper

than 38 m; may

prefer 90-100 m;

mid and outer

continental shelf

and Chesapeake

Bay

Nearshore shell patches

and other shelter on

sandy bottoms

Adults

Summer

April-Dec > 19 cm FL;

growth

sexually

dimorphic

Coastal: MAB

into GOM

~2-38 m; larger

fish stay in deeper

waters

Mussel beds, rock,

artificial reefs, wrecks

and other structures

Adults

Winter

Nov-March > 19 cm FL Most move

offshore and

south of New

Jersey to

warmer (>

6°C) waters.

30-240 m depths;

mostly 60-150 m

mid/outer

continental shelf;

otherwise poorly

known

Poorly known, possibly

available shelter on

offshore silty sand

(e.g., pits)

Spawning

Adults

May-Oct, peak

in June; begins

in the south

and progresses

north

> 19 cm FL;

mature at age

1+

Inshore MAB,

south to north,

during

migration

~20-50 m Over sand, sand with

rock, and reefs
Page 16

Table 1. cont’d.

Life Stage Temperature Salinity Prey Predators Notes

Eggs Sensitive to

extremes

Sensitive to

extremes

Most planktivores

where the eggs

are found

Lab studies suggest eggs

sensitive to high nitratenitrite concentrations and

low pH

Larvae 11-26°C, mostly

14-23°C;

sensitive to

extremes

30-35 ppt;

sensitive to

extremes

Use yolk

reserves in a

few days;

feeding begins

on zooplankton

at ~6 mm

Most planktivores

where the larvae

are found

Benthic settlement and

transition to juvenile occurs

at ~10-16 mm FL, July to

October

Juveniles YOY 6-30°C, prefer

17-25°C

8-38 ppt, prefer

~18-20 ppt

Small

epibenthic

invertebrates,

especially

crustaceans

and mollusks

Sharks, dogfish,

skates, hakes,

searobins,

summer flounder,

and others

Most migrate to warmer

offshore or more southerly

waters in winter. Hypoxia

can inhibit growth

Juveniles

Winter

> 5°C; sudden

drops < 4°C

inshore can cause

mortality

12-38 ppt,

prefer > 18 ppt.

Small

epibenthic

invertebrates,

fish, but

feeding may be

reduced

Sharks, dogfish,

skates, hakes,

searobins,

summer flounder,

and others

Migrate inshore and

northerly as waters warm >

6°C; over-wintering

juveniles return to coastal

estuarine areas

Adults

Summer

~6-28°C, mostly

13-21°C

> 20 ppt Benthic and

near-bottom

invertebrates

and small fish

Sharks, dogfish,

skates, hakes,

searobins,

summer flounder,

and others

Mortality and avoidance at

dissolved oxygen levels < 2

ppm

Adults Winter > 6°C, prefer 9-

12°C

~30-35 ppt Poorly known;

benthic and

near-bottom

invertebrates,

small fish,

butterfish, and

squid; feeding

may be

reduced

Sharks, dogfish,

and others

The 6-7.5°C isothermal

boundary greatly influences

distribution; activity and

survival reduced below this

temperature

Spawning

Adults

> 10°C, peak at ~

18-20°C

> 15 ppt Poorly known;

benthic and

near-bottom

invertebrates,

small fish,

butterfish, and

squid; feeding

may be

reduced

Sharks, dogfish,

and others

Spawn in coastal bays but

not in estuaries; mature

mostly as females, most

change sex to males with

growth
Page 17

Figure 1. The black sea bass, Centropristis striata (from Goode 1884).
Page 18

Figure 2. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass in the Northwest Atlantic during 1975-1994. Data are from the

U.S. NOAA/Canada DFO East Coast of North America Strategic Assessment Project (http://www-orca.nos.noaa.gov/

projects/ecnasap/ecnasap_table1.html).
Page 19

Figure 3. Abundance of the major prey items in the diets of juvenile (≤ 20 cm) and adult (> 20 cm) black sea bass

collected during NEFSC bottom trawl surveys from 1973-1980 and 1981-1990. Abundance in the 1973-1980 samples is

defined by mean percent prey weights, and in the 1981-1990 samples as mean percent prey volume. The category

“unknown animal remains” refers to unidentifiable animal matter. Methods for sampling, processing, and analysis of

samples differed between the time periods [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Miscellaneous Materials 3.0%

Arthropoda 79.0%

Unknown Animal Remains 6.8%

Annelida 4.8%

Mollusca 4.0%

Fish 2.8%

Other Prey Groups 2.7%

Arthropoda 41.5%

Fish 20.7%

Unknown Animal Remains 16.7%

Mollusca 10.2%

Annelida 4.3%

Urochordata 4.0%

Other Prey Groups 2.7%

Arthropoda 71.9%

Mollusca 10.8%

Fish 6.1%

Unknown Animal Remains 4.9%

Annelida 2.2%

Cnidaria 2.0%

All Other Prey 2.1%

Arthropoda 62.2%

Unknown Animal Remains 13.2%

Fish 7.7%

Annelida 5.1%

Urochordata 4.1%

Mollusca 3.3%

Other Prey Groups 4.4%

a) 1973-1980

1-20 cm

(n=289)

21-60 cm

(n=358)

Fall

(n=239)

Spring

(n=263)

Arthropoda 73.9%

Unknown Animal Remains 21.8%

Mollusca 3.2%

Fish 1.1% Arthropoda 67.5%

Mollusca 13.7%

Unknown Animal Remains 8.4%

Fish 7.7%

Other Prey Groups 2.8%

Arthropoda 68.3%

Unknown Animal Remains 18.0%

Mollusca 6.2%

Fish 4.2%

Annelida 3.3%

Arthropoda 50.2%

Unknown Animal Remains 18.7%

Mollusca 16.6%

Echinodermata 5.7%

Annelida 3.0%

Fish 2.7%

b) 1981-1990

11-20 cm

(n=49)

21-60 cm

(n=106)

Fall

(n=82) Spring

(n=72)
Page 20

Figure 4. Abundance of black sea bass eggs relative to water column temperature (to a maximum of 200 m) and bottom

depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys (1978-1987) by month for all years combined. Open bars

represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized

catches (number/10 m2

).

January

0

10

20

30

90

100

Stations

Egg Catch

April

0

10

20

30

90

100

May

0

10

20

30

40

June

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

July

0

10

20

August

0

10

20

30

October

Water-Column Temperature (0-200m, C)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

0

10

20

30

40

Black Sea Bass Eggs

September

0

10

20

30

January

0

10

20

90

100

April

0

10

20

90

100

October

Bottom Depth (m), Interval Midpoint

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

230

250

270

290

325

375450

750

1250

1750

>2000

0

10

20

30

40

Stations

Egg Catch

Black Sea Bass Eggs

September

0

10

20

30

50

60

May

0

10

20

30

40

June

Percent

0

20

40

60

July

0

10

20

30

60

70

August

0

10

20

30

80

90
Page 21

Figure 5. Abundance of black sea bass larvae relative to water column temperature (to a maximum of 200 m) and

bottom depth from NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys (1977-1987) by month for all years combined. Open

bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all

standardized catches (number/10 m2

).

January

0

10

20

30

60

70

Stations

Larva Catch

April

0

10

20

30

40

May

0

10

20

30

40

June

Percent

0

10

20

30

July

0

10

20

August

0

10

20

November

Water-Column Temperature (0-200m, C)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

0

10

20

30

40

Black Sea Bass Larvae, <13mm length

September

0

10

20

March

0

10

20

30

90

100

October

0

10

20

30

January

0

10

20

80

90

Stations

Catch

April

0

10

20

60

70

November

Bottom Depth (m), Interval Midpoint

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

230

250

270

290

325

375

450

750

1250

1750

>2000

0

10

20

30

40

Black Sea Bass Larvae, <13mm length

September

0

10

20

30

40

50

May

0

10

20

30

40

June

Percent

0

10

20

60

70

July

0

10

20

30

40

August

0

10

20

30

60

70

October

0

10

20

60

70

March

0

10

20

30

90

100
Page 22

Figure 6. Seasonal abundance of juvenile (< 19 cm) and adult (≥ 20 cm) black sea bass relative to bottom water

temperature and depth based on NEFSC bottom trawl surveys (1963-1997, all years combined). Open bars represent the

proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches

(number/10 m2

).

Juveniles: < 19 cm TL

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 200 250

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=991

CATCHES N=8389

FALL

0

5

10

15

20

25

10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 190 240

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=178

CATCHES N=1427

WINTER

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 250 280 320 410

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=537

CATCHES N=3117

SPRING

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 50 90

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=136

CATCHES N=1123

SUMMER

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=178

CATCHES N=1427

WINTER

0

5

10

15

20

25

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=991

CATCHES N=8389

FALL

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=537

CATCHES N=3717

SPRING

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=136

CATCHES N=1123

SUMMER
Page 23

Figure 6. cont’d.

Adults: ≥ 19 cm TL

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=991

CATCHES N=2667

FALL

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=178

CATCHES N=2452

WINTER

0

5

10

15

20

25

5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=136

CATCHES N=697

SUMMER

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

BOTTOM TEMPERATURE (C)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=537

CATCHES N=7704

SPRING

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

0102030405060708090100110120130200220250320

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=991

CATCHES N=2667

FALL

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1030507090110130150190240

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=178

CATCHES N=2452

WINTER

0

5

10

15

20

25

020406080100120140160180200220250280320410

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=537

CATCHES N=7704

SPRING

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 10 20 30 50 90

DEPTH (m)

PERCENT

STATIONS N=136

CATCHES N=697

SUMMER
Page 24

Figure 7. Abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass relative to bottom water temperature and depth based on

Massachusetts inshore bottom trawl surveys (spring and autumn 1978-1996, all years combined). Open bars represent

the proportion of all stations surveyed, while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all standardized catches

(number/10 m2

).

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

10

20

30

40

50

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

10

20

30

40

0

10

20

30

40

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

0

20

40

60

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

0

5

10

15

20

25

Juveniles Adults

Stations

Catches

Spring Spring

Spring Spring

Autumn Autumn

Autumn Autumn

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Depth (m) Bottom Depth (m)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Bottom Temperature (C) Bottom Temperature (C)

Mass. Inshore Trawl Surveys

Black sea bass
Page 25

Figure 8. Seasonal abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass relative to bottom water temperature and depth from

Rhode Island Narragansett Bay trawl surveys, 1990-1996. Open bars represent the proportion of all stations surveyed,

while solid bars represent the proportion of the sum of all catches.

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 0

10

20

30

40

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 0

20

40

60

80

100

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

20

40

60

80

100

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bottom Temperature (C)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Stations

Catches

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 0

10

20

30

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

20

40

60

80

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

20

40

60

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

10

20

30

40

50

Winter

Autumn

Summer

Spring

Bottom Depth (ft)

Black Sea Bass

Juveniles (<19cm)

Black Sea Bass

Juveniles (<19cm) Stations

Catches
Page 26

Figure 8. cont’d.

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

10

20

30

40

50

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

10

20

30

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

20

40

60

80

-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27

0

4

8

12

16

20

Bottom Temperature (C)

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Black Sea Bass

Adults (>=19cm) Stations

Catches

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

10

20

30

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

20

40

60

80

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

10

20

30

40

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

0

10

20

30

40

50

Winter

Autumn

Summer

Spring

Bottom Depth (ft)

Black Sea Bass

Adults (>=19cm) Stations

Catches
Page 27

Figure 9. Abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass relative to bottom water temperature, dissolved oxygen, depth,

and salinity from Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys (January 1992 - June 1997, all years combined).

Temperature (C)

Depth (ft)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

0

5

10

15

Stations

Catches

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Salinity (ppt)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

0

5

10

15

20

25

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

0

5

10

15

20

25

Juveniles (< 19 cm)

Temperature (C)

Depth (ft)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Stations

Catches

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Salinity (ppt)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

0

5

10

15

20

Adults ( 19 cm) >
Page 28

Figure 10. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass eggs collected during NEFSC MARMAP ichthyoplankton

surveys, 1978-1987 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. The upper left figure is all months and all years combined, the

remaining figures are individual months for all years combined.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

1978 to 1987

(Jan, Apr, May, Jun,

Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct)

Number of Tows = 6682; with eggs = 376

Eggs / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 535

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

January; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 433; with eggs = 1

Monthly Mean Density = 0.023 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

April; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1020; with eggs = 1

Monthly Mean Density = 0.003 Eggs/10m2

None

Eggs / 10m2

1 to 3

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

May; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1085; with eggs = 23

Monthly Mean Density = 0.694 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m 2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 177
Page 29

Figure 10. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

June; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 709; with eggs = 43

Monthly Mean Density = 2.713 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 199

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

July; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 781; with eggs = 83

Monthly Mean Density = 3.892 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 184

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

August; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 863; with eggs = 120

Monthly Mean Density = 6.630 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 535

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

September; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 747; with eggs = 89

Monthly Mean Density = 3.331 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 208
Page 30

Figure 10. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

(Centropristis striata)

Eggs

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

October; 1978 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1044; with eggs = 16

Monthly Mean Density = 0.154 Eggs/10m2

Eggs / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 41
Page 31

Figure 11. Distribution and abundance of black sea bass larvae (< 13 mm) collected during NEFSC MARMAP

ichthyoplankton surveys, 1977-1987 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details]. The upper left figure is all months and all years

combined, the remaining figures are individual months for all years combined.

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

1977 to 1987

(Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Jun,

Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov)

Number of Tows = 10149; with larvae = 376

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Larvae / 10m2

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 295

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

January; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 434; with larvae = 5

Monthly Mean Density = 0.066 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 15

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

March; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1031; with larvae = 1

Monthly Mean Density = 0.002 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to 3

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

April; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1281; with larvae = 10

Monthly Mean Density = 0.128 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 59
Page 32

Figure 11. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

May; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1472; with larvae = 10

Monthly Mean Density = 0.066 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 24

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

June; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 893; with larvae = 21

Monthly Mean Density = 0.252 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 42

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

July; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 938; with larvae = 59

Monthly Mean Density = 1.062 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 170

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

August; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1148; with larvae = 159

Monthly Mean Density = 3.364 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 295
Page 33

Figure 11. cont’d.

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

September; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 774; with larvae = 79

Monthly Mean Density = 1.734 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to <100

100 to 255

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

October; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1147; with larvae = 24

Monthly Mean Density = 0.262 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 65

76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Black Sea Bass

Larvae, <13mm length

(Centropristis striata)

MARMAP Ichthyoplankton Surveys

61-cm Bongo Net; 0.505-mm mesh

November; 1977 to 1987

Number of Tows = 1031; with larvae = 8

Monthly Mean Density = 0.039 Larvae/10m2

Larvae / 10m2

None

1 to <10

10 to 16
Page 34

Figure 12. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass collected during NEFSC bottom

trawl surveys, 1963-1997 (all years combined). Densities are represented by dot size in spring and fall plots, while only

presence and absence are represented in winter and summer plots [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].
Page 35

Figure 12. cont’d.
Page 36

Figure 13. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass collected in Massachusetts coastal waters

during spring and autumn Massachusetts trawl surveys, 1978-1996 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Black Sea Bass

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<19cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 1 =

Black Sea Bass

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Juveniles (<19cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 10

 10 to 50

 50 to 200

 200 to 1000

 1000 to 5900

Black Sea Bass

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Spring 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=19cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 5

 5 to 25

 25 to 50

 50 to 88

Black Sea Bass

Mass. Inshore Trawl Survey

 Autumn 1978 - 1996

 Adults (>=19cm)

Number/Tow

 1 to 2

 2 to 5

 5 to 10

 10 to 20

 20 to 24
Page 37

Figure 14. Distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass collected in Narragansett Bay during 1990-

1996 Rhode Island bottom trawl surveys. The numbers shown at each station are the average catch per tow rounded to

one decimal place [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

1.3

0.1

0.0

0.5

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.0

0.1 0.2

Spring

Summer Autumn

Winter

Black Sea Bass Juveniles (< 19 cm)
Page 38

Figure 14. cont’d.

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.3

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.3

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.3

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.0 0.0

Spring

Summer Autumn

Winter

Black Sea Bass Adults (>= 19 cm)
Page 39

Figure 15. Distribution, abundance, and size frequency distribution of black sea bass collected in Long Island Sound

during spring and autumn Connecticut bottom trawl surveys, 1992-1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Number/Tow

 1 to <2

 2 to <3

 3 to <4

Number/Tow

 1 to <2

 2 to <3

 3 to <4

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

SPRING 1992 - 1997

State of Connecticut DEP

Fisheries Division

Long Island Sound Trawl Survey

AUTUMN 1992 - 1997

Black Sea Bass

Black Sea Bass
Page 40

Figure 16. Seasonal distribution and abundance of juvenile and adult black sea bass in the Hudson-Raritan estuary

collected during Hudson-Raritan estuary trawl surveys, 1992–1997 [see Reid et al. (1999) for details].

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Fall 1992 - 1996

Juveniles (<19 cm)

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Winter 1992 - 1997

Juveniles (<19 cm)

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Spring 1992 - 1997

Juveniles (<19 cm)

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Summer 1992 - 1996

Juveniles (<19 cm)
Page 41

Figure 16. cont’d.

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Fall 1992 - 1996

Adults ( 19 cm) >

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Winter 1992 - 1997

Adults ( 19 cm) >

No Catches

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Adults ( 19 cm) >

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Spring 1992 - 1997

Staten

Island

NEW

YORK

NEW

JERSEY

No/Tow

1

2 - 4

5 - 19

20 - 49

50 - 105

Black Sea Bass

Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Summer 1992 - 1996

Adults ( 19 cm) >
Page 42

Figure 17. Commercial landings and NEFSC bottom trawl survey indices for black sea bass in the Gulf of Maine and

Middle Atlantic Bight.

Gulf of Maine and Middle Atlantic

Year

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Landings (mt x 1000)

0

1

2

3

4

Stratified mean catch/tow (no.)

0

2

4

6

8 Commercial landings (mt)

Spring survey index (no.)

Smoothed survey index (no.)
NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER

Dr. Michael P. Sissenwine, Science & Research Director

CAPT John T. Moakley, Operations, Management & Information Services Staff Chief

Teri L. Frady, Research Communications Unit Chief

Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor & Laura S. Garner, Editorial Assistant

Publishing in NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE

Manuscript Qualification

This series represents a secondary level of scientific publishing in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). For

all issues, the series employs thorough internal scientific review,

but not necessarily external scientific review. For most issues,

the series employs rigorous technical and copy editing. Manuscripts that may warrant a primary level of scientific publishing

should be initially submitted to one of NMFSs primary series

(i.e., Fishery Bulletin, NOAA Technical Report NMFS, or Marine Fisheries Review).

Identical, or fundamentally identical, manuscripts should

not be concurrently submitted to this and any other publication

series. Manuscripts which have been rejected by any primary

series strictly because of geographic or temporal limitations may

be submitted to this series.

Manuscripts by Northeast Fisheries Science Center

(NEFSC) authors will be published in this series upon approval

by the NEFSC's Deputy Science & Research Director. Manuscripts by non-NEFSC authors may be published in this series if:

1) the manuscript serves the NEFSCs mission; 2) the manuscript meets the Deputy Science & Research Directors approval; and 3) the author arranges for the printing and binding

funds to be transferred to the NEFSCs Research Communications Unit account from another federal account. For all manuscripts submitted by non-NEFSC authors and published in this

series, the NEFSC will disavow all responsibility for the manuscripts contents; authors must accept such responsibility.

The ethics of scientific research and scientific publishing

are a serious matter. All manuscripts submitted to this series are

expected to adhere -- at a minimum -- to the ethical guidelines

contained in Chapter 1 (Ethical Conduct in Authorship and

Publication) of the CBE Style Manual, fifth edition (Chicago,

IL: Council of Biology Editors). Copies of the manual are

available at virtually all scientific libraries.

Manuscript Preparation

Organization: Manuscripts must have an abstract, table of

contents, and -- if applicable -- lists of tables, figures, and

acronyms. As much as possible, use traditional scientific manuscript organization for sections: Introduction, Study Area,

Methods & Materials, Results, Discussion and/or Conclusions, Acknowledgments, and References Cited.

Style: All NEFSC publication and report series are obligated to conform to the style contained in the most recent edition

of the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual.

That style manual is silent on many aspects of scientific manuscripts. NEFSC publication and report series rely more on the

CBE Style Manual, fifth edition.

For in-text citations, use the name-date system. A special

effort should be made to ensure that the list of cited works

contains all necessary bibliographic information. For abbreviating serial titles in such lists, use the most recent edition of the

Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Previews Database (Philadelphia,

PA: Biosciences Information Service). Personal communications must include date of contact and full name and mailing

address of source.

For spelling of scientific and common names of fishes,

mollusks, and decapod crustaceans from the United States and

Canada, use Special Publications No. 20 (fishes), 26 (mollusks),

and 17 (decapod crustaceans) of the American Fisheries Society

(Bethesda, MD). For spelling of scientific and common names

of marine mammals, use Special Publication No. 4 of the

Society for Marine Mammalogy (Lawrence, KS). For spelling in

general, use the most recent edition of Websters Third New

International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged

(Springfield, MA: G.&C. Merriam).

Typing text, tables, and figure captions: Text, including

tables and figure captions, must be converted to, or able to be

coverted to, WordPerfect. In general, keep text simple (e.g.,

dont switch fonts, dont use hard returns within paragraphs,

dont indent except to begin paragraphs). Especially, dont use

WordPerfect graphics for embedding tables and figures in text.

If the automatic footnoting function is used, also save a list of

footnotes as a separate WordPerfect file. When the final draft is

ready for review, save the text, tables, figure captions, footnotes,

and front matter as separate document files.

Tables should be prepared using all tabs or all spaces

between columnar data, but not a combination of the two.

Figures must be original (even if oversized) and on paper; they

cannot be photocopies (e.g., Xerox) unless that is all that is

available, nor be on disk. Except under extraordinary circumstances, color will not be used in illustrations.

Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit one paper copy of the double-spaced

manuscript, one magnetic copy on a disk, and original figures (if

applicable). NEFSC authors must include a completely signedoff NEFSC Manuscript/Abstract/Webpage Review Form.

Non-NEFSC authors who are not federal employees will be

required to sign a Release of Copyright form.

Send all materials and address all correspondence to:

Jon A. Gibson, Biological Sciences Editor

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service

166 Water Street

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026 USA
Research Communications Unit

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

166 Water St.

Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE -- This series is issued irregularly. The series includes: data reports of longterm or large area studies; synthesis reports for major resources or habitats; annual reports of assessment or monitoring programs;

documentary reports of oceanographic conditions or phenomena; manuals describing field and lab techniques; literature surveys of major

resource or habitat topics; findings of task forces or working groups; summary reports of scientific or technical workshops; and indexed

and/or annotated bibliographies. All issues receive internal scientific review and most issues receive technical and copy editing. Limited

free copies are available from authors or the NEFSC. Issues are also available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285

Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161.

Fishermen's Report and The Shark Tagger -- The Fishermen's Report (FR) is a quick-turnaround report on the

distribution and relative abundance of commercial fisheries resources as derived from each of the NEFSC's periodic research vessel

surveys of the Northeast's continental shelf. There is no scientific review, nor any technical or copy editing, of the FR; copies are available

through free subscription. The Shark Tagger (TST) is an annual summary of tagging and recapture data on large pelagic sharks as derived

from the NMFS's Cooperative Shark Tagging Program; it also presents information on the biology (movement, growth, reproduction, etc.)

of these sharks as subsequently derived from the tagging and recapture data. There is internal scientific review, but no technical or copy

editing, of the TST; copies are available only to participants in the tagging program.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document -- This series is issued irregularly. The series

includes: data reports on field and lab observations or experiments; progress reports on continuing experiments, monitoring, and

assessments; background papers for scientific or technical workshops; and simple bibliographies. Issues receive internal scientific review

but no technical or copy editing. No subscriptions. Free distribution of single copies.

The mission of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is "stewardship of living marine resources for the

benefit of the nation through their science-based conservation and management and promotion of the health of their

environment." As the research arm of the NMFS's Northeast Region, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

supports the NMFS mission by "planning, developing, and managing multidisciplinary programs of basic and applied

research to: 1) better understand the living marine resources (including marine mammals) of the Northwest Atlantic, and

the environmental quality essential for their existence and continued productivity; and 2) describe and provide to

management, industry, and the public, options for the utilization and conservation of living marine resources and

maintenance of environmental quality which are consistent with national and regional goals and needs, and with

international commitments." Results of NEFSC research are largely reported in primary scientific media (e.g.,

anonymously-peer-reviewed scientific journals). However, to assist itself in providing data, information, and advice to

its constituents, the NEFSC occasionally releases its results in its own media. Those media are in three categories:

Publications and Reports

of the

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

To obtain a copy of a technical memorandum or a reference document, or to subscribe to the fishermen's report,

write: Research Communications Unit, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA

02543-1026. An annual list of NEFSC publications and reports is available upon request at the above address.

Any use of trade names in any NEFSC publication or report does not imply endorsement.

STANDARD

 MAIL A