Biological Report 82tll.82) TR EL-82-4

b

March 1988

Species Profiles: Life Histories and

Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes

and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest)

STRIPED BASS

QL

155

.S63

no.82-

11.82

PACIFIC OCEAN

L

Coastal Ecology Group

Fish and Wildlife Service Waterwavs Experiment Station

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

L

Biological Report 82c11.82)

TR EL-82-4

March 1988

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest)

STRIPED BASS

Thomas J. Hassler

California Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

Humboldt State University

Arcata, CA 95521

Project Manager

Carroll Cordes

Project Officer

David Moran

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wetlands Research Center

1010 Gause Boulevard

Slidell, LA 70458

Performed for

Coastal Ecology Group

Waterways Experiment Station

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Vicksburg, MS 39180

and

U.S. Department of the Interior

Fish and Wildlife Service

Research and Development

Nationa? Wetlands Research Center

Washington, DC 20240
This series may be referenced as follows:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983-19,. Species profiles: life histories

and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U.S. Fish

Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4.

This profile may be cited as follows:

Hassler, T.J. 1988. Species profiles: life histories and environmental

requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (Pacific Southwest) -- striped

bass. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82t11.82). U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 29 pp.
L

PREFACE

This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms,

principally fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles

are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief

comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental

requirements of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be

expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal development. Each

profile has sections on taxonomy, life history, ecological role, environmental

requirements, and economic importance, if applicable. A three-ring binder is

used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared.

This project is jointly planned and financed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

.L

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to one of

the following addresses.

Information Transfer Specialist

National Wetlands Research Center

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

NASA-Slide11 Computer Complex

1010 Gause Boulevard

Slidell, LA 70458

or

U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station

Attention: WESER-C

Post Office Box 631

Vicksburg, MS 39180

iii
Multiply EL?!

millimeters (mm) 0.03937

centimeters (cm) 0.3937

meters (m) 3.281

meters (m) 0.5468

kilometers (km) 0.6214

kilometers (km) 0.5396

To Obtain

inches

inches

feet

fathoms

statute miles

nautical miles

square meters (m2) 10.76 square feet

square kilometers (km2) 0.3861 square miles

hectares (ha) 2.471 acres

liters (1) 0.2642 gallons

cubic meters (m3> 35.31 cubic feet

cubic meters (m3) 0.0008110 acre-feet

milligrams (mg) 0.00003527 ounces

grams (9) 0.03527 ounces

kilograms (kg) 2.205 pounds

metric tons (t) 2205.0 pounds

metric tons (t) 1.102 short tons

ki?ocalories (kcal) 3.968 British thermal units

Celsius degrees ("C) 1.8('C) + 32 Fahrenheit degrees

inches 25.40 millimeters

inches 2.54 centimeters

feet (ft) 0.3048 meters

fathoms 1.829 meters

statute miles (mi) 1.609 kilometers

nautical miles (nmi) 1.852 kilometers

square feet (ft2>

square miles (mi2>

acres

0.0929 square meters

2.590 square kilometers

0.4047 hectares

gallons (gal) 3.785 liters

cubic feet (ft3> 0.02831 cubic meters

acre-feet 1233.0 cubic meters

ounces (oz) 28350.0 milligrams

ounces (oz) 28.35 grams

pounds (lb) 0.4536 kilograms

pounds (lb) 0.00045 metric tons

short tons (ton) 0.9072 metric tons

CONVERSION TABLE

Metric to U.S. Customary

U.S. Customary to Metric

British thermal units (Btu) 0.2520 kilocalories

Fahrenheit degrees (OF) 0.5556 (OF - 32) Celsius degrees

iv
CONTENTS

PREFACE ................................................................ iii

CONVERSION TABLE ........................................................ iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................ vi

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE ............................................

MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION AIDS .....................................

REASONS FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES ........................................

INTRODUCTION OF STRIPED BASS ...........................................

ESTUARY ................................................................

LIFE HISTORY ...........................................................

Reproductive Physiology and Strategy ...................................

Spawning ...............................................................

Eggs ...................................................................

Larvae .................................................................

Juveniles ..............................................................

Adults .................................................................

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS .................................................

Growth .................................................................

Length-Weight Relations ................................................

THE FISHERY ............................................................

Commercial Fishery .....................................................

Sport Fishery ..........................................................

Population Dynamics ....................................................

ECOLOGICAL ROLE ........................................................

Feeding Habits .........................................................

Disease and Parasites ..................................................

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS .............................................

Habitat Suitability Index Models .......................................

Temperature ............................................................

Salinity ...............................................................

Salinity-Temperature Interaction .......................................

Dissolved Oxygen and pH ................................................

Turbidity ..............................................................

Current Velocity .......................................................

Entrainment ............................................................

River Flow and Water Diversion .........................................

Environmental Contaminants .............................................

LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*........................................ 23

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V
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

! an grdtPfU1 for reviews by Serge Doroshev, UniVersity Of California dt

Davis, and Mdxwell Eldridge, National Mar.ine Fisheries Service, Tiburon,

California.

V i
Figure 1. Striped bass.

STRIPED BASS

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE

Scientific name . . . . . . . Morone

saxatilis

-_I

--------

Preferred common name . . . . striped

bdss (Figure 1)

Other common names . . . . striper,

rockfish

Class . . . . . . . . . Osteichthyes

Order . . . . . . . . . . Perciformes

Family . . . . , . . . Percichthyidae

Geographic range: AtldntiC coast from

the St. Lawrence River, Canada

(Magnin and Bedulieu 19671, west to

Montreal (Vladykov and McAllister

19611, and south to the St. Johns

River, Florida (McLane 1955). Gulf

of Mexico from west Florida coast to

Louisidna (McIlwain 1968).

Introduced into the lower Sacramento

River, California in 1879 (Scofield

and Bryant 1926). Now extend from

Barkley Sound, British Columbia

south to Ensenada, Mexico (Radovich

1961; Forrester et al. 1972; Miller

and Lea 1972). Introduced into

waters of the Soviet Union (Doroshev

1970) and France dnd Portugal

(Setzler et al. 1980). Landlocked

form hdS been successfully introduced into freshwater impoundments

in North Americd (Figure 2 is map of

distribution in the Pacific Southwest Region; distribution of fish

that live only in freshwater is not

included).

MORPHOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION AIDS

Meristic Characters: dorsal IX +

I-II, 12, anal III, 9-11, pectoral 16-

17; lateral line scales 57-67; gill

rdkers 8-11 + 14-17; vertebrae 25

(Miller and Lea 1972). Two dOrSd1

fins, one spiny and one soft,

separdted dt bdse and about equal in

1
CAPE MENDOCINO ..: / i

%.. ‘2

SAN FRANCISCO B@?.

KILOMETERS

a Distribution

.*

.’

.*

.*

.*

.*

.*

.**

t

.*

.*

t

-0 l -

.*

.* .*

3

.* PACIFIC OCEAN t

,**

NEVADA

\

\

CALIFORNIA ‘\i

x LOS ANGELES

San Francisco Bay

Figure 2. Pacific Southwest distribution of striped bass.

2
length; opercul~~m ttiith two spines on

posterior edge (Fay et al. 1983).

4louth large, but maxilla does not

reach pdst the hind margin of the eye;

two distinct pdtches of teeth dt bdse

Of tOflglJe (MOyle 1976). Eye small,

less thdn one-fourth of hedd length;

pectoral Fins do not reach back beyond

tips of pelvics (Roedel 1953).

Body elilngdted, With 6-9 ddrk,

usually broken but sometimes

continuous, horizontal stripes (iuliller

and Led 19721, one follows lateral

line dnd three are below !Fay et al.

1983). Color: steel blue to olivegreen dbove becoming silvery on sides

and belly, with brdssy iridescence

(Roedel 1953).

REASONS FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES

The striped bdSS supports one of

the most important sport fisheries in

the Pacific Southwest Region. It is

one of California's top rdnking Sport

fishes dnd is the domindnt sport fish

in the Sacrdmento-San JOdquin Estuary

(Figure 2). The only populations of

striped bdss of consequence in the

Pacific Southwest are in this Estuary

and in the Pacific Ocean within 40 km

of the estuary (Chddwick et al. 1977;

Stevens 1979, 1980; Stevens et al.

1985). The fishery extends from the

Pdcific Ocean nedr San Frdncisco,

upstream throughout San Francisco, San

Pablo, and Suisun Bdys, the Delta dnd

more thdn 200 km into the Sacrdmento

and San Joaquin Rivers (Figure 2).

The striped bass is dnadromous and

occupies many different types of

hdbitat from freshwater to codstal

ocean waters. Freshwdter spawning

areds dnd estuarine nursery areds

appedr to be the most criticdl hdbitat

requirement for striped bdss.

The Sacramento dnd San Joaquin

Rivers, the Delta, and Suisun Bay are

the major spawning dnd nursery grounds

for striped bass in the Pacific

Southwest. These areas are greatly

influenced by environmental fdctors

dnd water management. A decline in

abundance of striped bass in recent

years in the Delta and adjdcent bays

is believed to be dssociated with

decredsed water quality and incredsed

water management in the Sacramento and

San Joaquin Rivers dnd Delta (Stevens

et al. 1985).

INTRODUCTION OF STRIPED BASS

The striped bass was introduced

into California in the late 1870's.

In 1879, 135 yearlings frotn the

Navesink River, New Jersey, were

reledsed in the Carquinez Strait at

Martinez, California, and in 1882, 300

yearlings from the Shrewsbury River,

New Jersey, were reledsed in Suisun

Bay near Army Point (Scofield and

Bryant 1926). Striped bass incredsed

rdpidly and were offered for sale on

the California market only 10 years

after their first introduction (Craig

1928). The only other populations of

striped bass of significance along the

west codst are in the Coos dnd Umpqua

Rivers, Oregon (Parks 1978).

ESTUARY

The Sacramento-San Joaquin

Estuary, the most important striped

bass nursery area in the Pacific

Southwest Region, includes the Delta

and Suisun, San Pablo, and San

Francisco Bdys (Figure 2). The Delta

is a reclaimed tidal marsh where the

Sacramento and San Jodquin Rivers join

before flowing into Suisun Bay. The

Delta consists of 298,300 hd, with more

than 40 large fdrmed islands protected

by levees and surrounded by 1,130 km

of channels (Kelley and Turner 1966;

Chadwick et al. 1977; Arthur and Ball

1978). 4 salinity gradient extends

from the western Delta to San Pablo

Bay (80 km) dnd sometimes to San

Frdncisco Bdy. Freshwater outflows

fsom the Deltd range fry 1,5OO-4,500

m /s in winter to 100 m /s in summer

(Stevens et al. 1985). The hiStOriCd1

mean freshwater outflow to the ocean

3
(1,100 m3/s) h as been reduced by about

50% as the result of consumptive water

use upstream and water diversions from

the Del td (Chddwick et al. 1977).

The San Jodquin system hdS been

developed for upstream water use dnd

the Sacramento system for transport of

water through the Delta for use in

southern California. Water is

exported by two large pumping plants

in the southern Delta. Export rates

from these plants exceed the flow of

the San Joaquin River, and most water

must come from the Sa ramento River.

s

About the first 100 m /s of exported

water from the Sacramento River

crosses the Delta through channels

upstream from the mouth of the San

Joaquin3River; at higher export rates

(>lOO m /s), water is drawn up the San

Joaquin River from its confluence with

the Sacramento River. Flow reversals

in the San Joaquin River are typical

in spring, except in wet years, and in

summer and fall in all years (Chadwick

et al. 1977).

LIFE HISTORY

Reproductive Physiology and Strategy ____-----____-_-_ ----__

Striped bass are dioecious,

though hermaphroditism hdS been

reported (Morgan and Gerlach 1950;

Westin 1978). Females grow more

rdpidly and to d larger Size tndn

males (Scofield 1931; Collins 1982).

In the Estuary, males begin to mature

at ages II or III, and all are mature

dt age v; some females mature dt age

IV and dll are mature dt age VII and

older (Scofield 1931; Stevens 1979).

Striped bass are polygamous; the

eggs are broadcast into the water

column, where they are fertilized

(Woodhull 1947; Miller and McKechnie

1968). Fecundity is reldted to age,

length, and weight (Westin and Rogers

1978). Medn fecundity of females from

the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary

ranges from 243,000 eggs for fish of

age IV to 1.4 million for fish of age

VIII and older (Stevens et al. 1985).

Adult striped bass dre dnddromous

and migrate to fresh or nearly fresh

water to spdwn. In the Sacramento-San

Jodquin Estuary most spdwning occurred

from mid-April to mid-June (Turner

1976). The principal spawning areas

in the Pacific Southwest are the

Sacrdmento River dnd Deltd (Calhoun et

dI. 1950; Farley 1966; Turner 1976).

More thdn 83% of the spawning in the

Sacramento River (1963, 1964, 1966,

1972) occurred between river

miles 40 and 140 (Figure 3). Over

90% of the spawning in the Delta

(1966-72) occurred between river

miles 10 and 40. In 1968, some

spawning occurred in the San JOdqUin

River between the mouths of the

Stanislaus and Merced Rivers (Turner

1976). Farley (1966) estimated that

66% of the striped bass spawning was

in the Sacramento River and 34% in the

Delta in 1964, dnd Turner (1976)

estimated that 55% was the

Sacramento River dnd 45% in t.iz Delta

in 1972.

In the Estuary, spawning occurred

dt water temperatures of 14.0 to

23.9 'C and peaked at 16 to 20 'C

(Scofield 1931; Farley 1966; Turner

1976; Wang 1981). In the Delta, most

spawning occurred at salinities (total

dissolved solids, or TDS) of < 200 ppm

in 1964-71 and dt < 200 to 1500 ppm in

1972 (Turner 1976):

LE.

Fertilized striped bass eggs are

SpheriCdl, nonadhesive, semibuoyant,

and nearly transparent when first

spdwned. As they develop, they become

almost invisible (Hardy 1978; Wang

1981; Fay et al. 1983). Usually eggs

have d single oil globule (sometimes

also small ones), and d wide

perivitelline ,space. The eggs are

high in energy content (7,808 Cal/g

dry weight) and exceed the caloric

4
SAdRAMENTO

CALIFORNIA STAT

PUMPING PLANT

b u

0 5 A

20

MILES

US BUREAU

RECLAMATION

PUMPING PLANT

A Spawning areas

Figure 3. Map of striped bass spawning areas by river mile for

the Delta upstream from Martinez, and for the Sacramento River

upstream from its confluence with the San Joaquin River (from

Turner 1976).

5
values of eggs from Inany freshwater,

dnadromous, and marine fishes

(Eldridge et al. 1982).

Dry weights, volumes, and cdloric

contents of striped bass eggs dnd egg

components at time of fertilization,

dnd oxygen COnSUmQtiOn of eggs dfter

fertilizdtion, were determined by

Eldridge et al. (1982). Medn egg

diameter of recently SQdwned eggs

collected in the Delta ranged from

1.78 mm (not water-hdrdened) to

3.30 mm 1 hour later (Woodhull 1947).

Didmeters of eggs collected in

Sacrdmento-San JOdqUin Rivers were

reported by Albrecht (1964) to rdnge

from 2.5 to 4.4 mm (medn 3.8 mm).

Medn weight of artificially fertilized

eggs was 285 yg (Eldridge et al.

1981).

Striped bass eggs hatch 29 to 80

hours after fertilization, depending

on water temperature (Setzler et al.

1980). Hardy (1978) summarized

incubdtion times at different water

temperdtures, and Polgar et al. (1976)

expressed the relation between water

temperature dtId hdtching time ds 1 =

-4.60 T +131.6, where I = development

time to hdtching in hours and T =

temperature in Celsius degrees.

- - Larvde

Yedr-class strength of striped

bass in the Sacrdmento-San Jodquin

Estuary hdS been correldted with

survival and growth during the first

60 days after hatching. The dbundance

of young striped bass (mean fork

length CFLI 38 mm) was correlated

positively with freshwater outflow

from the Delta dnd negatively with the

percent of the river inflow diverted

from Delta channels during spring dnd

early summer by Federal and State

water projects (Stevens et al. 1985).

Thus year-class size, which is related

to larvdl survival, is gredtly

affected by water diversions from the

Deltd and the Sacramento and San

Joaquin Rivers.

At hdtching, striped bass larvde

were 3.0 to 4.0 mm in totdl length

(Ti) in the Estudry (Wang 1981) dnd

3.3 to 4.5 mm FL in the 1dbOrdtOry

(Eldridqe et al. 1982). Yolk SdC

dbSOrpt.iOn time vdried from 3 t0 9

odYs, depending on water temperature

(Albrecht 1964; Rogers et al. 1977;

Eldridge et al. 1982); total

dbsorption of the nutrients in the

yolk sdc often takes longer (MdXWell

Eldridge, National Marine Fisheries

Service, Qers. comm.). larvde begdn

feeding actively 5 ddys dfter hdtching

(7 days after fertilization) at 18 'C.

Yolk-sac larvae maintain a surface

oosition by swimming, but sink if

swimming ceases (Fay et al. 1983).

Larvae sink in the water column faster

than eggs the first 15 hours after

hatching (Meinz dnd Heubdch 1978).

The newly-hatched larvae actively swim

off the bottom, essentially staying in

suspension. Larvde dre free swimming

100 hours after hatching. If larvae

sink to the bottom and remain, high

mortality mdy occur (Pearson 1938;

Raney 1952; Setzler et al. 19801.

Most larvae inflate their swim

bladders 5-10 ddys after hatching, and

thus acquire hydrostatic regulation

(Doroshev et al. 19811.

The verticdl and lateral

distribution of eggs dnd larvae in the

Sacrdmento-San JOdqUin Estuary are

dSSOCidted with river flow. The

distribution in the Estuary hds been

described by Albrecht (19641, Sasaki

(19661, Turner and Chadwick (19721,

:;;J;; (1976) and Stevens et al.

. In the Sacramento River,

virtually all larvae cdught were near

the bottom in mid-channel; few were dt

the surface in mid-channel or near

shore. In low-flow yedrs, virtually

all striped bass eggs and larvae were

in the Delta. Eggs dnd larvae began

entering Suisun Bay in higher flow

years dnd most were in Suisun Bay in

the highest flow years.

Detailed descriptions dnd

drdWingS of edrly developmental stages

of striped bass were published by

6
Pearson (19381, Mansueti (19581, Hardy

(19781, and Wang (1981). The duration

of the larvdl stage rdnged from 68

days at 15 'C to 23 days at 24 'C

(Rogers et al. 1977). The larvae

becdme ddult-like (juveniles) dt 20-36

mm TL, depending on water temperature

dnd food availability (Hardy 1978;

Wang 1981).

Juveniles --------

The juvenile stage ldsts from

metamorphosis to sexual maturity;

duration varies with sex. In the

Pacific Southwest Region, males 25 to

about 320 mm FL and females 25 to

dbout 534 mm FL are considered

juveniles. Males mature dt ages II or

III and females at ages IV or V

(Scofield 1931; Stevens 1979).

In the Estuary, juvenile striped

bdss dbundance is highest in the

convergence zone, where fresh and sdlt

water meet. Pldnkton populations are

dense in this zone dnd its locdtion is

important to juveniles (Massman 1971;

Turner dnd Chadwick 1972; Arthur and

Ball 1979; Orsi and Knutson 1979).

The zone is downstream (usually in

Suisun Bay) when river outflows are

high, and upstream (in the western

Delta) when outflows are low; plankton

production is much greater when the

zone is in Suisun Bdy (Stevens et al.

1985). Generally, the principal food

organisms of young bass are

concentrated in or near this zone.

During their second year, many

striped bass still live in the Delta

and Suisun Bay, but others move

upstredm into the rivers dbove the

Delta dnd downstredm into San Pablo

Bay (Sasaki 1966;

Adults -----

Distribution

patterns of adult

Stevens 1979).

and migration

striped bass in the

Sacramento-San JOdqUin Estuary have

been determined by tagging studies.

Adults move to freshwater (into the

Delta and upstream in the Sacramento

River) to spawn in the spring. After

spawning, most return to San Pablo and

San Frdncisco Bays dnd to the Pacific

Ocean within about 40 km of the Golden

Gate Bridge, where they spend the

summer. In fall, adults move from the

ocean into the bays; some migrate to

the Delta. During the winter, adult

bass are spread from San Francisco Bay

to the Delta (Calhoun 1952; Chadwick

1967; Orsi 1971; Stevens 1979; Stevens

et al. 1985). Adult bass spend about

6 to 9 months annually in San

Francisco dnd San Pablo Bays.

Immature fish do not participate in

the spring spawning migration.

Striped bass tagged at different

locations and at different times in

the Delta and Sacramento River

migrdted similarly. A major

difference was thdt migration to the

Delta was distinctive, in that bdss

tended to return to the tagging area a

year after they were tagged there

(Chadwick 1967). Large adults

migrated further downstream than

smaller ones dnd only medium-sized and

large fish went to the ocean. Fish

length seemed to influence migration

pattern more than sex did.

Striped bass reported from the

Estuary hdve included females up to 16

yedrs old and 1080 mm FL by

Scofield (19311, fish (probably

females) up to 20 years old and

1170 mm FL by Clark (1938), and fish

weighing up to 37.2 kg by Scofield and

Bryant (1926). The oldest reported

male bass from the Estuary was age XI

(Miller and Orsi 1969). Older dnd

larger striped bass have been reported

from other areas (Fay et al. 1983).

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS

Growth ---

The growth for striped bass up to

70 cm long from the Sacramento-San

Joaquin Estuary can be calculated from

scales by the formula:

Y = (L-l) (R/S) +1

L
where Y = back-calculated total length

(at time of formation of annulus in

question) in centimeters, L = current

total length of fish in centimeters, R

= radius of annulus in question, and S

= total scale radius; R and S should

be in theI9;;e (arbitrary) units

(Scofield Robinson (1960)

calculated growth by using a direct

proportion nomograph corrected for the

Y axis intercept that was determined

from body length-scale radius relations for striped bass from San Pablo

Bay and the Delta. Other body lengthscale radius relations and conversion

factors were reviewed by Fay et al.

(1983).

Growth rates for young-of-theyear (YOY) striped bass from the

Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary have

been determined daily and seasonally.

Turner and Chadwick (1972) estimated

daily growth (June-August, 1960-70) of

0.544 to 1.016 mm per day. The rate

was cdlculated by determining the time

in ddyS required for the medn length

of the bass in the population to

increase from 25 to 41 mm FL. Chdr]-

wick (1964) reported Z-week growth

increments (June-August, 1959-62) of

7.62 to 17.78 mm. Collins (1982)

reported ddily growth (July-October,

1967-75) of 0.58 mm. Growth rates

were based on mean length change from

the time when the bdss redched 25 mm

FL through mid-October. Young striped

bdss redCh -25 mm FL by 1 July

(ihddwick 1966) and average 105 mm FL

at the end of the first growing season

(Scofield 1931; Robinson 1960).

Size differentials established in

YOY striped bdss during different

yeni's in the Estudry are mdintained

throughout life. Collins (1982) found

that although striped bdss of the

1970 dnd ldter yedt classes in the

Estluary averdged 2 cm smdller than the

1965 to 1969 year classes, the actual

growth rdt?S of adult fish hdd not

chdnged. The size reduction was due

to slower growth during the first year

of life of the 1970 and iatsr year

cl dsses.

Striped bass eggs, yolk and oil

volume, and feeding, growth, and

energy conversion of artificially

fertilized eggs from the Sacramento

River were studied in the laboratory

by Eldridge et al. (1982). Eggs were

incubated at 18 'C and hatched 2 days

after fertilization. Yolk sac lengths

were 3.9 + 0.6 mm standard length (SL)

at hdtChTrIg dnd 5.8 + 0.3 mm SL at

first feeding, 7 days after

fertilization. Embryos and larvae

consumed the yolk linearly, and growth

after hatching was directly related to

food concentration. The 58% of the

yolk energy that remained dt hatching

was used by days 6 to 7, the time when

active feeding began. The 86% of egg

oil energy that remained at hatching

was completely used by days 20 to 29.

The rate of embryo growth in weight

(Gw) from fertilization to hdtching

(Gw=1.872) was three times that to

feeding age (Gw=O.647). Larvde were

11 mm SL 29 days after fertilization,

when the experiments were terminated

(Eldridge et al. 1982).

Growth and survival of striped

bass larvae fed different rations were

studied by Ddniel (1976). Survival

of larvae incredsed with the number of

brine shrimp nauplii (Artemid Sal ina)

consumed. Mean daily length increase

after 10 days was 0.04 mm for larvae

fed no naupl ii and $27 mm for larvae

fed 30,000 nauplii/m of water.

The mean lengths for male and

female striped bass of ages I to XIII

collected during different years from

the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary are

shown in Table 1. Males dnd females

grew at the sdme rate unti 1 age IV,

when females began to mature dnd grow

faster (Scofield 1931; Robinson 1960).

Growth occurred primarily between May

and November but some growth

occurred in winter among females of

ages III to V (Collins 1982). The von

Dertalanffy growth equation described

the growth of ddult striped bass well,

but underestimated the length of

longer fish (Figure 4). The

correldtion coefficients between

8
Table 1. flea" fork lengths (mm) for male and female striped bass from

Sdcr~d!~ie"to-Sa" JOdq:lin Est.Jdry in different yedrs (!i = mdle, F = ferndIe).

Years of Collection

1925-192Sd 1957-1958b 1961-1965' 1969-1978d

-__--------------_----- ----___-- ___----__- ._---__--_

Age 1.1 F Me Fe ?le Fe M F M F

I 98 97 lo6 106 104 194

II 386 264 251 247 249 249

III 373 346 371 370 386 289 414f 424 42gf

'J I 463 458 445 463 493 500 485 523 504 539

\i 499 535 516 542 566 594 572 650 578 637

IV 541 605 563 612 622 683 643 693 649 709

'J I I 610 686 612 680 671 747 711 752 706 768

VII: 685 777 716 800 739 803 751 816

IX 805 795 762 836 565 a41 785 a53

X 755 870 785 876

XI 947 864

XII 990

XIII 980 991

XIV 1030

XV 1050

XY I 1080

--------~~____~__-_--~_~_-~___--____--_-____~~___--___---_----__--____________

"5cofield 1931.

'Rob inson 1960.

"Mi ller dnd Orsi 1969.

dCollins 1982.

'Calculdted lengths dt aqe.

fBiased high due to sampling program.

observed lengths dnd those predicted

from the von Bertalanffy equation were

0.998 for males dnd 0.996 for females

(Collins 1982). Mdles grew from dbout

400 mm dt age 111 to dbout 360 mm dt

age XII, and females from &out 400 mm

at dge III to about 960 mm at age XII.

Length-Weight ReldtiOflS --- ----_ -------__-_

Length-weight relations of

striped bass hdve bee" developed for

larvde in the 1dbOrdtOry and for

juveniles and ddults combined from the

Sacrdmento-San Jodquin Estuary.

Larvdl length-weight relation was

exponentidl and described by the

equdtio":

Y = 0.0028787e'. 631g2gx

where Y = dry weight mg and X = SL mm

(Eldridge et al. 1982). The lengthweight relation of male and female

StriDed bass from the Estuary

commercial Cdtch (March-April 1927)

was presented grdphicdllg

described by the equation W=FL

= pounds and cm FL; Scofield

Robinson (19601 described the

and

(units

1931).

length
1ooa

90-

-E 80-

s -

$ 70-

5A

GoE

t? 50-

‘loL , , , , , , , , , r

lITEYPIlIYluIxxxxu

AGE

Figure 4. Von Bertalanffy growth

curves for striped bass sampled during

spring (1969-76) in the Sacramento-San

Joaqu'rn Estuary. Numbers next to data

points indicate number of overlapping

points (from Collins 1982).

weight relation of bass from the

Estuary by the equation:

log w = - 2.1393 + 3.0038 log L

where W = pounds and L = inches FL.

THE FISHERY

Commercial Fishery - -

After the striped bass was

introduced into the Sacramento-San

Joaquin Estuary in 1879, the population grew rapidly. The commercial

Cdtch in the Estuary, primarily with

drift gill nets, was 7400 kg by 1889,

and 560,000 kg by 1899, just 20 years

after the species was introduced. The

highest recorded catch, in 1915,

was about 810,000 kg. Subsequent

catches declined to about 328,000 kg

by 1929. The decline dpparently wds

cdused by restrictions in mesh size of

nets, in reduction of the areas open

to fishing, in durdtion of the fishing

season, and i 17 size limits (Crdig

1928). In 1935, commercial fishing

for striped bass in California was

prohibited. The closure was largely a

result of conflicts between sport and

commercial fishing interests dnd not a

result of stock depletion (Stevens

1980).

_ll_---- Sport Fishery

Striped bass provide an extensive sport fishery in the SacramentoSan Joaquin Estuary. The present

fishing regulations include a minimum

length of 45.7 cm (TL) and a daily bag

limit of two fish. Before 1956, the

length and bag limit were usually

30.5 cm and 5 fish; from 1956-1981,

the limits were adjusted to 40.6 cm

and 3 fish (Sterns et al. 1985).

Striped bass anglers fish in the

Pacific Ocean near the Golden Gate

Bridge and throughout the Estuary to

the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers at

least 200 km above the Delta. Angling

occurs all year but varies by area and

season in accordance with the migratory pattern of the fish (Stevens

1980).

Fishing for striped bass occurs

from shore, private boats, and

commercial passenger fishing boats

(charter or party bodts). In 1969-79,

65% of the catch was taken from

private boats, 21% from shore or

piers, and 14% from charter boats

(White 1986). Angler success was

poorer for the fishery as a whole than

for the charter-boat fishery. Annual

medn cdtch rates for anglers on

charter fishing boats were 1.4 to 2.4

times higher than those for anglers on

private boats. Angler success was

highest from May through November,

when 80% of the catch occurred--

0
3

4

.ilL

mostly in San Francisco Gdy. The

Cdtch was lowest in the San JOdqUill

9iver (Nhi te 1986 1.

Chdrter bodt OperdtOrS have been

required to report cdtches to the

California Depdrtment of Fish and Game

since 1938. These records are the

best long-term striped bdss CdtCh

records dvailable, even though only

14% of the Cdtch is taken by pdrty

bodts and fishing locdtions dnd

methods hdve chdnged. The dnnual

Cdtch of striped bass per angler ddy

rdnged from 0.78 to 2.63 (mean 1.58)

in 1938-77 and from 0.78 to 1.68 in

1972-77 (Stevens 1980).

Striped bass fishing success in

the Estuary was formerly higher than

it is currently. In recent yedrs,

about 200,000 anglers per year have

fished for striped bdSS in the Estuary

and hdve cdught about 300,000 fish.

In the early 1960's the dnnual catch

was about 750,000 (Stevens 1980). The

decline in fishing success appears to

be due to a decrease in bass abunddnce

that is related to low recruit-nent in

most years since 1969 (Stevens 1977b).

Striped bass hdrvest rates have

been estimated by tagging since 1958

(Chadwick 1968; Miller 1974; Stevens

et al. 1985; White 1986). The harvest

has var-ied from 11% of the estimated

legal population (bass > 40.6 cm TL)

in 1978 to 37% in 1958.- The harvest

rdto equaled or exceeded 19% edch yedr

from 1958 to 1964, but redched 20% in

Only four years from 1965 to 1979.

The decredse in hdrVeSt apparently is

PdrtlY d result of d decline in

fishing effort thdt accompdn i ed

decredsed success dfter the edrly

1960's (Stevens 1980).

The striped bass Cdtch in the

Estuary has varied by age and sex.

From 1969 to 1979, in the San

Francisco-Suisun Bay area, fish of

ages III, IV, and V composed 67% of

the catch; fish of age IV were

generally the most numerous. In the

San Francisco Bay area, females were

more abundant than males in the catch

in 10 of the 11 years (White 1986).

The economic value of the striped

bass fishery in the Estuary area has

decredsed over the yedrs. The decline

in abundance of striped bass from 1970

to 1983 brought about an estimated

loss of $587 million in sales revenue

dnd $314 milliOn in net disposable

income to California (Meyer Resources

1985). Return of the value of the

bass fishery to the 1968-75 average

value would require a 2.5X increase in

the size of the bass stock. The

economic value of the striped bass

sport fishery in the Estuary ared

(computed on the basis of average

catch data for 1979-83) is shown in

Table 2.

Table 2. Value (thousands of dollars) of the striped bass sport fishery in the

Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary area, based on 1979-83 average Cdtch. (Dollar

value per fish is shown in pdrentheses) (frum Meyer Resources 1985).

Unit

Market values

Total

B;iGiiZ~-iZGie~-

State income

Non-market net

profit values

---___l

revenue value Total Net

Thousands $8,802 $2,641 $31,109

(71.56) (21.47)

$33,750 $31,687 $16,944

(252.92) (274.39) (257.62) (137.75)

--_-_____1__1__-____________________I_______I_-__1_1__---_____--I_

11
Po_elation Dynamics - ---------------

The population of striped bass

in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary

has never been dominated by strong

year classes and until recently has

been relatively stable. Now,

however, the adult bass population is

only about 25% of what it was 20

years ago, and the production of

young bass over the past 8 years has

been 33% to 50% of the expected

numbers (Stevens et al. 1985).

The population of ddult striped

bass (b40.6 cm TL) in the Estuary,

which 6 been medsured on the basis

of catch per effort (Hallock et al.

1957) and Petersen estimates (Bailey

1951; Stevens 1977a) since 1969, has

shown a variation between about 0.8

and 1.9 million fish from 1969 to

1982, and was estimated at about 0.9

million in 1982 (Stevens et al. 1985).

The total mortality rate of adult

striped bass of age V and older in the

Estuary, which has been estimated

annually since 1969, incredsed from

30% in 1971 to 49% in 1977. The

greatest change occurred between 1970

and 1976 when the hdrVeSt of adult

bass of age V and older incredsed from

15% to 27% (Stevens et al. 1985). The

harvest of fish of age III and older

has increased from 13% to 23% during

the same period (White 1986).

The ddult striped bass population

in the Sacramento-San Jodquin Estuary

area is at its lowest level since

stock assessments were first

available. The Striped Bass Working

Group of scientists, appointed by the

California Water Resources Control

Board to analyze the problem,

concluded that the decline was probably the result of a combination of

(1) the reduced adult population

producing fewer eggs; (2) reduced food

production in the nursery area; (3)

entrainment losses of YOY in water

diversions; and (4) toxicity (Stevens

et al. 1985).

The decline in abunddnce of adult Ui.

striped bass in the Estuary has

resulted in an 80% decline in egg

production since 1975. The egg

production may now be inadequate to

maintain the bass population at former

levels under current environmental

conditions. The survival of striped

bass from the egg to a length of 38 mm

(FL) hdindbeen correlated with river

flows diversions (Turner and

Chadwick 1972; Chadwick et al. 1977;

Stevens 1977a, 1977b; Stevens et al.

1985). High outflows in recent years

hdve not, however, resulted in high

striped bass populations as they

previously did. Thus, reduced egg

production by the smaller adult

populations has not resulted in a

density-dependent increase in survival

rates from egg to the 38-mm stage.

Recent surveys have shown that less

than half as many YOY are being

produced as were produced a decade

ago. Hence, any losses of adults or

early life stages could contribute to

the further reduction of adult striped

bass in the Estuary (Stevens et al.

1985). 4iu

The striped bass situation in the

Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary is the

result of several factors. The

reduced number of eggs and larvae that

now drift downstream to enter the

nursery hdbitat, and the reduced

production of plankton, probably

combine to reduce the bass population.

One management practice adopted to

address this problem is the stocking

of hatchery fish large enough to avoid

the limiting food condition. In 1981,

California passed legislation

requiring striped bass anglers to

purchase a striped bass stamp for

$3.50. The proceeds, about $2 million

a year, are to be spent on research

and management (e.g., stocking) that

have potential to improve the fishery.

Stocking of hatchery fish is also

planned to replace fish lost from the

Estuary by diversions (Stevens et al.

1985).

12
D J The current use of Delta chdnnels

to convey water for export has

contributed to the long-term decline

of striped bdss in the Estuary ared.

Pldnned incredses in water export and

reduced Delta outflows will heighten

the problems of reduced food production

and entrainment unless a properly

designed and operated Delta water

transfer system is built. In addition,

management agencies should adopt

policies to reduce losses to all

sources of entrainment, to reduce the

deposition of toxic substances, and to

continue to evaluate the restrictions

placed on the fishery in 1982 and the

experimental stocking program (Stevens

et al. 1985).

ECOLOGICAL ROLE

---- ---_-- Feedi Habits

The time of first feeding of

larval striped bdss varies with water

temperdture, food concentration and

rearing dred. Under laboratory

conditions, larvae (6.1 mm SL) begdn

feeding 5 days after hdtching (7 dgls

after egg fertilization) at 18

When larvae were >7.0 mm SL, over 8Oi

fed activelv when concentrations of

brine shrimb nauplii Artemia salina

were 0.50-5.0/ml.

----_-

Larvde col~lected

from the Sacrdmento-San Joaquin

Estuary were 4-4.9 mm SL at the time

of first feeding, and over 75% were

feeding at 7.0-7.9 mm. Larvae 4-

11.9 mm SL preferred cladocerdns, the

copepod Cyclops sp., and the ------- copepod

---------- Eurytemard sp., which (combined)

accounted for 89% of all food eaten

(ildridge et al. 1982).

Young-of-the-yedr striped bdss

(3-114 mm FL) collected in the Estuary

area fed primarily on the mysid

--__--- Neornysis ?ercedis, copepods,

cladocerdns, the arnphipod Corophium --------_

xinicorne -_--__--9 and tendipedid larvde

during their first year of life

(Heubdch et al. 1963). In summer,

Neorysis dnd Corghium ---_- were the most

~~~o~t!-~!it. food--items of bass >25 inm

FL. In fall, copepods and Corophium

were the most important. Tn the

rivers above the Delta (freshwater),

tendipedid larvae and pupae were the

dominant food. Fish were unimportant

in the diet of YOY. The occurrence of

organisms in the stomachs generally

agreed with the distribution of

planktonic and benthic organisms in

the Estuary. Salinity and water flow

were the most important factors

controlling plankton distribution --

and thus feeding habits.

The diet of young (50-230 mm FL),

juvenile (130-350 mm), subadult (260-

470 mm), and adult (>380 mm) striped

bass from the Estuary was described by

Stevens (1966). The importance of

fish and invertebrates in the diet of

bass varied by age and size of

striped bass and season (Figure 5).

The most important food items of

striped bass of any age and in any

season were the mysid Neomysis

awatschensis, Corophium, small striped

bass, threadfin shad (Dorosoma

petenense), and discarded sardine and

anchovy bait. Few stomachs contained

Sl?ldl I chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus

tshawytschd). Thomas ----

-------- (19m reporTga

,ooYoLNG sAss J”vEN,LE SASS SUSPDULT BASS AWLT SASS

\ I r-7

F WSPS F W SP S F W SPS F w SP s

SEASONS

Figure 5. Occurrence of fishes and

invertebrates in stomachs of striped

bass of different ages in fall (F),

winter (WI, spring (Sp), and summer

(S) (from Stevens 1966).

13
thdt juvenile bass (<416 mm ii1 dte

SiZdble qudntities of small chinook

salmon in the Sacramento River. Other

mdj.or food items reported by Thomas in

the diet of juvenile dnd adI.rlt striped

bdss in the Estuary and river -included

northern dnchovy (En_erdulls mordax),

shiner perch -

----i,-- ------

aregdta),

(LymdtoHJdSter ----- -----

-- --- striped bass, common carp

(Cyprinus ---_-__-

(Pdcifidstdcus

cdrqio), .-- --- crayfish

-________---- leniusculus), ----------_ bay

shrimps (Crdlo spp. ________ and Pdldemori

mdCrOddCtyl-& --_---_------ 9 isopods (Synidotea

sp.1, scuds (Corophium sppT)-,---$i?d --------

insect larvde. Threadfin shdd were

not an .importdnt food, perhdps because

they did not become dbundant in the

Deltd until 1962, after the data hdd

been collected (Thomas 1966).

In the Estuary, some organisms

thdt are of d size suitable for food

dre seldom edten. Americdn shdd

(Alosd_ Sdpidissirnd) were seldom eaten

by stri~-b~<<;ven when small Shdd

were dbunddnt (Stevens 1966; Thomas

1966). Deltd smelt

trdnsodcificus)

(Qpomesus ----Y--

____'_________ 9 white catflsh

!Irtalurus _:_______ ----- cdtus), and vdrious ndtive

minnows were more dbundant in the

Delta and the Sacrdrnento River thdn

their occurrence in the diet of bdSS

indicdted iThOl?idS 1966). Striped bdSs

consumed zoobenthos of only 8 of 35

taxa collected from the Delta. and

Corophiun was the only taxon eaten in -.---?T-- signif-icdnt amounts.

Young bdSS seemed to prefer the

mysid N.

(Stevens

awatschensis over Corophium l~~~),______Indices.__of__~~

dwatschensis --Y--------- dnd Corophiun in t'i;k

environment when COlnpdred with the

frequency of occurrence of these

orgdnisns in the StOmdChS of bass,

showed thdt young bdss fed primarily

on Coro_phium I- only if Coroghium was ----- _-- ---_

abundant and N. awatschensis was

scarce. If -G. -------Y-- awatschensis and

------

Corophi urn were- abundant, if N.

-----___---

awatschensis was dbundant and

----__-- Corophl urn was not, and if N.

----------_

awatschensis and Corophium were -7--T- scarce, young bass fed pr-imar-ily on N

awatschensis

_*

----------*

4

---------_--~-~----___

Disedse dnd Pardsites

Parasites of striped bass from

the Sdcramento-San JOdquin Estuary

were reported by Moser et al. (1985).

The two most commonly seen parasites

in the Estuary were the metacestode

Lacistorhynchus tenuis dnd the larval _--___--_---.--

nernatode 7----- Anisakis sp. Although -------

striped bdSS from the Estuary are dn

incompdtible host for both species of

parasites, Moser et al. (1984) showed

that L. -tenuis iS pdthOlOgiCa1 t0

strioed bass in the Estuarv. There

were' -also relatively high ;nfections

of ddillt striped bdss with roundworm,

(Anesakidae) larvae (Whipple 1983).

In the Sacramento-San Joaquin

Estuary, factors other thdfI dngling

cause dbout 15% to 30% mortality of

the ddult striped bass each year

(Chadwick 1968; Miller 1974; Stevens

1977b). For at least 25 years, an

unknown fraction of ddult bass

mortality hds occurred during ldrge

die-offs in the Suisun-San Pablo Bay

ared. In recent years, the timing and

locdtion of die-offs hdve been

monitored by the California Depdrtment

of Fish and Game (Stevens 1979).

Attempts to determine the cause of the

mortality in the Suisun-San Pablo Bay

ared hdve been unsuccessful. Factors

examined but not eliminated as causes

include poisoning by hedvy metals or

hydrogen sulfide, bacterioloaical

pathogens, red tides and various

climatological fdctors. Incredsed

temperature and reduced dissolved

oxygen have dlso been suggested as

factors (Coutant 1985). The die-offs

occur only in late spring and summer,

when bdss migrdte from fresh- to

sdltwater.

Diseases and parasites of striped

bass from other areds have been

studied and reported by Bonn et al.

(1976) and Paperna dnd Zwerner (1976).

The most commonly reported disedses of

striped bdss dre fin rot disedse,

pdsteurellosis, columnaris, lyrnphocystis, and epitheliocystis (Setzler

et al. 1980). Summary tables of
parasites dnd diseases were provided

by Smith and Wells (1977), Westin and

l?yq;;; (1978), and Setzler et al.

.

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

_~~~~~~~~~~~~__

Habitat Suitability Index Models

Habitat suitability index models

hdVe been developed for striped bass

of coastal stocks (Bain and BditI 1982)

and inland stocks (Crance 1984). The

models were developed from a review of

existing information and can be used

to assess habitat impact and to

develop management alternatives.

-

Temperature ----

Striped bass eggs hdve a brodd

range of temperature tolerance (Table

Turner (1976) collected recently

,a);tilized eggs (< 8 h old) at 14-

21 OC in the Sacramento River. In the

laboratory, eggs hatched after $$iurnal

temperature exposu;es of 5.6 C between 14 and 23 C (Albrecht 1964).

Lethal temperatures were reported to

be 10 'C and below (Morgan and Rasin

1981) and 23 'C and above (Shannon and

Smith 1968).

Striped bdss idrVde tolerdted d

brodd range of temperatures (Table 4).

The 48-h upper LT50 for ldrvae

collected from the Sacrdmento-San

Jodguin Estuary rdnged from 30 to

33 C for 8 to 31 mm TL larvae (Kelly

and Chadwick 1971). Survivdl was

ddjusted by dividing the dctual

survival by the control survival dnd

multiplying by 100.

Juvenile and adult striped bdss

tolerated a broad temperature range

with no ill effects (Table 5). Juveniles dcclimated to higher temperatures had higher lethdl limits thdn

fish acclimdted to lower temperatures

(Table 5). Juveniles survived dbrugt

transfer in freshwater from 7 to 21 C

but 20% of the fish died when transferred from 21 to 7 'C (Tagatz 1961).

No juveniles died if temperature

decredse was gradual (4 'C/h). Adult

preferred temperatures varied with

Table 3. Effects of selected environmental factors on striped bass eggs.

-------___--~-- ----------~-~~------------------

Environmental

fdctor Tolerance Optimum Lethal Source

- -I _ - - - - - ------------_1--1---

Temperature ('C) 14-23 17-20 Mansueti (1958)

13-24 19-21 Albrecht (1964)

18-21 <12 Rogers et al. (1977)

12-28 18 10 Morgan et al. (1981)

>23 Shannon and Smith (1968)

Salinity (ppt) O-10 1.5-3.0 Mansueti (1958)

;I;

1.7 Albrecht (1964)

MOrgdn and Rasin (1973)

Ois(To;;d O2 Cl.5 Mansueti (1958)

(5.0

Turbidity (mg/l)

Turner and Farley (1971)

O-500 >lOOO Auld and Schubel (1978)

PH 5.8-10.0 Regdn et al. (1968)

Current velocity 30.5-500 100-200 Mansueti (1958)

(cm/s) c30.5 Albrecht (1964)

---~_----I__--------~---------__---------

15
Table 4. Effects of selected environmental fdctors on striped bdss larvdl

stages.

Environmental Experimental

factor conditions Tolerance Optimum Lethdl Source

Temperature ('C) 12-23

lo-25

Salinity (ppt)

Dissolved O2

(mg/l)

Turbidity

(mg/l)

1-6 days 3.4

7-13 days 6.7

14-20 days 13.5

21-29 days 20.2

30-35 ddys 33.7

Yolk sac 5-15

Post yolk sac 5-25

Yolk sac

Post yolk sac

Yolk sac

48-h LD50

o-15

PH 6-10 7-8

Current velocity

(cm/s)

O-500

16-19

15-22

18-21

5-10

30-100

Regan et al.

(1968)

< 10 Davies (1970)

Rogers et al.

(1977)

>30 Kelly and

Chadwick (1971)

Regan et al.

(1968)

La1 et al. (1977)

La1 et al. (1977)

La1 et al. (1977)

La1 et al. (1977)

La1 et al. (1977)

Rogers dnd

Westin (1978)

Rogers dnd

Westin (1978)

(2.3 Rogers and

Westin (1978)

<2.4 Rogers and

Westin (1978)

>500 Auld and Schubel

(1978)

3411 Morgan et al.

(1973)

Regdn et al.

(1968)

Regan et al.

(1968)

ambient acclimation temperatures

(Meldrim and Gift 1971). The maximum

upper avoidance temperature for ddUltS

was 34 ‘C (ambient 27 'C) and they

avoided 13 'C if acclimated at 5 'C.

In the Sacramento-San Joaquin

Estuary water temperature is important

to striped bass distribution and

survival. Coutant (1985) summarized

striped bass temperature preference

(thermal niche) data from the Estuary

relative to striped bass distribution

and migration. He suggested that high

water temperature might limit the

distribution of bass in the Estuary

and result in the crowding of the

largest bass into areas with poor food

and high toxicant levels; the result

in low-flow years might be expected to

be increased mortality of large fish

and reduced fecundity.

16
.

Table 5. Effects of selected environmental factors on striped bass juvenile drid

ddult stages.

____--~~~__--~~~~~~~----_____-_---_-____-------___-_-_____________________

Environmental Experimental

fdctor conditions Tolerdnce Optimum Lethdl Source

_----_~_--_-~~~~_~__----~____-_------_---------___---______________________

Temperdture ('Cl 20-50 mm TL lo-27

<39

16-19

18-23

31.0

29.4

10-15

10-20

6-12

c2.4

7-9

5.3

O-100

Bogdanov et al.

(19671

6OgddnOV et al.

(1967)

Loeber (19511

Salinity (pptl

Dissolved 02

(mg/ll

PH

Current velocity

(cm/s)

Temperature ('Cl

Salinity (pptl

50-100 mm TL

Acclim. at

15.6'C

Acclim. at

ll.OOC

20-50 mm TL

50-100 mm TL

Acclim. at

32.8'C

O-20

o-35

3-20

6-10

O-500

7.2-27

o-33.7

Loeber (19511

Bogdanov et al.

(1967)

Bogdanov et al.

(1967)

Bogdanov et al.

(19671

Dorfman and

Westman (19701

Bogdanov et al.

(1967)

Tatum et al.

(1966)

Bogdanov et al.

(1967)

Tagatz (1961)

Rogers dnd

Westin (1978)

----_

Salinity

In the Sacramento-San Joaquin

Estuary, striped bass eggs were

observed in slightly saline water:

eggs and larvae should survive all

salinities encountered in the Estuary

(Albrecht 19641. In the labordtory,

the highest hatch of eggs and survival

of larvae were achieved at low

salinities (Tables 3 and 4). La1 et

dl. (1977) reported that l-day-old

eggs hatched at salinities of 3.4 to

16.7 ppt and that survival of eggs to

hatching was higher in saline than in

freshwater; however, they recommended

not incubating striped bass eggs at

salinities above 3.4 ppt because the

survival of larvae declined

progressively for eggs hdtched in

higher salinities.

La1 et al. (1977) reported thdt

optimal

larvae

salinities for redring of

through metamorphosis progressively inCredSed during development (Tdble 4). After metamorphosis,

striped bass fry were redred in sea

water (33.4 ppt) for 15 months. Juvenile and adult striped bass tolerated

salinities of O-33 ppt (Table 51.

Geiger and Parker (1985) compiled a

water quality survey of 57 striped

bass hatcheries and reported that

17
salinity >0.5 ppt was the single most

important factor influencing striped

bdSS production.

Salinity-Temperature Interaction ___________-_-~----I_____

The response of striped bass eggs

and 1 drvde to salinity-temperature

interdction hdS been medsured. Otwell

and Merriner (1975) reported that

mortality in test groups of juveniles

was highest in tests combining the

highest sdlinity with the lowest

temperature. However, the combined

effect of salinity and temperature did

not exceed the effect of either

salinity or temperdture dlone.

Survival was higher in fish younger

thdn 28 days than in older fish at a

given salinity-temperature combindtion, and temperature was more

limiting than salinity to growth and

survivdl of juveniles.

Tagdtz (1961) reported that

striped bass survived abrupt transfers

between saltwater (33 ppt) and

freshwater dt temperatures from 7.7 to

26.7 'C for adults and 7.7 to 21.1 'C

for juveniles. Morgan and Rasin

(1981) reported that salinitytemperature combinations affected the

percent hdtch of striped bass eggs dnd

survival of larvae (1 day after

hatching), but not mean length. The

percent hatch and survival of larvae

were best expressed by the following

equations:

Percent hatch=-0.83T2+30.64T0.12(SxT)+2.22S-205.80

and

Percent survival=-1.03T2+

35.86T+0.54S-246.63

where T = Celsius degrees and salinity

(S) = PPt. The calculated optima for

survival were 18 OC and 10 ppt.

--__--

Dissolved Oxygen and pH ------

Striped bass select a brodd range

of dissolved oxygen (DO)

\

concentrations (Table 5). Survival of %”

eggs in the laboratory decreased to

GO% of survival of controls (in

sdturated DO concentrations) with a

decredse in DO to 4 and 5 ppm at 18 to

23 'C (Turner and Farley 1971). Cech

et al. (1984) reported that growth of

juveniles (<lg) was reduced by low DO

(90 torr P02) at 20 and 25 'C.

Meldrim et al. (1974) reported thdt

juveniles generally avoided DO

concentrations of 3.8-4 ppm. Coutant

(1985) reported that adults (field and

laboratory) became stressed as DO

decreased to near 3 ppm, and water

containing nedr 2 ppm DO were

uninhabited by bass. Talbot (1966)

suggested that 4 ppm DO may be too low

for successful reproduction. Hill et

al. (1981) found that juveniles

selected the highest DO dvailable

(6.8-7.0 ppm).

Geiger and Parker (1985) reported

the PH in 57 striped bass hatcheries

rdnged from 6.4 to 7.3. Hill et al.

(1981) found that striped bass

juveniles (55-82 mm SL) selected a & ti

preferred pH (7.1-7.2) when both Do

and dissolved solids were low (3.9 and

1400-1500 ppm, respectively). However, when DO and dissolved solids

were 9 and 1300 ppm, respectively,

juveniles selected a pH range of 7.8-

8.2. Regan et al. (1968) determined

pH tolerance limits for eggs and Regan

et al. (1968) for larva (Tables 3 and

4).

Turbidity

Striped bass spawn in turbid

streams but turbidity was not reported

(Mansueti 1962; Talbot 1966).

Woodhull (1947) mentioned that in the

Delta where striped bass were

spawning, the water was rather turbid

(visibility 15 inches). Auld and

Schubel (1978) found that high

turbidities were lethal to eggs dnd

larvae (Tables 3 and 4). Morgan et

al. (1973) determined the 48-h LD50

for larvae (Table 4).

13
Current. Velocity --------___-____

In the Sacramento-San Jodquin

EstUary, current velocity and river

dischdrge 3re important to survivdl of

eggs and larvde. Albrecht (1964)

found thdt 3 minimum current velocity

of 30.5 crn!s was needed to keep

striped bass eggs suspended above the

bottom, dfl(j in labordtory experiments

eggs dl lowed to rest on a grdvel

substrdte did not hatch. LdrVde Will

remain suspended in the water column

dt a bed ldyer velocity of 51.9 cm/set

dnd 21.4 crn!sec over rippled and

SwJoth Sacrdmento River chdnnel

bottom, respectively (Meinz and

Helrhdch 1978). Striped bdsr eggs have

tolerdted fnJC;l higher velocities

(Table 3). In the Estuary the

Sdl inity gradient zone was f drther

dOWtlStredm thdtl Usllal (Suisun Bay)

when freshwater outflows were high and

fdrther upstredm (Delta) when outflows

were low. Both the survivdl of

juveniles drld the production of

plankton were much higher when the

zone wds in Suisun Bdy (Stevens et al.

1985).

Entrdinment

Striped hdss egg5, larvae and

juveniles ,at-e lost to entrdinment in

unscreened SdCrdfTIerltO dnd San Jodquin

Rivers diversions, to export

diversions of Delta water by State dnd

federal pumping plants, which may be

screened, and to agriculture and

power plants, which may also be

screened. Export diversions, which

affect bass substantially more than

river diversions, have louver screens,

but the screens do not attain even

50% efficiency until fish are 19 mm

FL. Screen efficiency incredses

grddually to about 85% for bass longer

thdn 100 mm FL (Skinner 1974).

Stevens et al. (1985) reported that

estimated losses of young striped bass

rdnged from 2 million to 4.5 billion

in State dnd Federdl pumping pldnts in

1968-79, were 598 million in 1978 and

562 million i n 1979 in Delta

agriculture diversions, and were 154

million in 1978 and 62 million in

1979 in power plants.

The dbundance of striped bdss

surviving to 38 mm TL was

significantly reduced by the losses

from the combined entrainment (Stevens

et al. 1985). This long-term

reduction in young striped bass from

the Estuary probdbly hdS contributed

to the decline in the ddult bdsr

populdtion. In addition, export

diversion of water from the Delta

causes high flow velocities in the

chdnnels thdt convey wdter from the

Sacramento River to the pumping plants

(Stevens 1980). The reduction in

standing crops of important food

organisms of young bass resulting from

the high water velocities (Turner

1966; Yeubach 1969) may further

decredse the bdss population.

River Flow and Water Diversion _-____~__~~~_-~_~~_----__-__

Studies of striped bdss in the

Sacrdmento-San JOdqUin Estuary hdve

demonstrdted that the abundance of

young bass hds been dssocidted with

river outflow from the Delta dnd the

percent of the river inflow diverted

(Stevens 1980). The dbundance of

young bdss in the Estuary hdS been

nedsured annually since 1959, and an

index of the number surviving to 38 mm

iL (juveniles) hdS been developed and

correlated with flows (Turner and

Chadwick 1972). During 1959-76, the

dbundance of juveniles in the Delta

was correlated with the May-June

outflows from the Delta dnd the dmount

of water diverted in those months. In

Suisun Bdy, the abundance of juveniles

was best expldined by the June-July

outflows (Stevens et al. 1985). The

data suggested thdt survival from eggs

to 38 mm could depend on flows dnd

diversions (Turner and Chadwick 1972;

Chddwick et al. 1977; Stevens 1977b).

However, since 1977, the abundance of

young bdss has been considerably lower

than predicted by the 1959-76

regressions. Both young bdss

dbunddnce dnd the ability to predict

-it hdve been greatly reduced (Stevens

19
et al. 1985). An index of survival

between the egg and 38 mm (1969-82),

when egg production estimates were

available, was developed and

calculated as:

survival index =

-------_ index of abundance at 38 mm mean FL

egg prZiiXiKXZx‘--I----

The survival index was significantly

related to outflow from the Delta and

described by:

Sugvival = 2.39 10s

-to

outflow

(m /s) from the Del a minus 3.70

The regression was significant but it

only accounted for 29% of the

varidtion in survival. The results

were dffected by imprecision in the

variables used to cdlculate the

survival index (Stevens et al. 1985).

The dnalysis of recent data

(1969-82) implies that the

reldtiOnShip between survival from egg

to 38 mm FL and flow and diversion has

not chdnged substantially. Survival

rates still appear to be controlled by

Delta outflow (Stevens et al. 1985).

Even though survival to 38 mm appears

to be dssocidted with flows dnd

diversions, the current thinking is

thdt reduced striped bdss abunddnce in

the Estuary is reldted to the fdctors

mentioned on page 12--reduced adult

stocks, reduced food production,

entrainsnent losses, dnd toxicity

(DOndld Stevens, California Depdrtment

of Fish dnd Game, pers. comm.)

Environmental Contaminants ______-__--_--__-_~-_~_~~_

The steady decline in abunddnce

of striped bdSS in the Sacramento-San

Jodquin Estuary since the 1960s may be

reldted to chemical residues. Whipole

(1983), who summdrized work on the

effects of pollutants on striped bdss

in the Estuary, wrote thdt field and

ldbOt”dtNy studies of spawning bass

showed concentrations of monocyclic

dromdtic hydrocdrbons (benzene,

xylene) and zinc were correlated with

reduced bass reproductive capacity,

fecundity, dnd gdmetic viability.

Crosby et al. (1983), who also

analyzed tissues and organs of striped

bass from the Estuary, found that common chlorinated hydrocarbons represented the most prevalent tissue

residues (Table 6). They stated that

Sacramento River striped bass

contained levels of hydrocarbons that

exceeded limits for fish survival

recommended by the National Academy of

Science as well as the dctionable

levels for animal feed published by

the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Sacramento fish were in poor

hedlth, COlnpdred with those from Coos

River, Oregon, and showed mottled-pink

livers with fibrous lesions,

parasites, and external lesions. The

Oregon bass were larger and older than

the Estuary bdss but had significantly

lower tissue burdens of toxic

pollutants. Whipple et al. (1981)

reported alicyclic hexanes in liver

dnd ovary tissue (0.02 to 16 ullkg wet

weight) of striped bass from the

Estuary. Benville et al. (1985)

determined thdt the 96-h LC5Os for

seven dlicycl ic hexanes ranged from

3.2 to 9.3 ulll for striped bass from

the Estuary.

The effects and lethal

concentrdtions of pesticides, heavy

metals, ohdrmdCeUtiCd1 drugs, and

other commonly discharged chemical

substances on striped bass frotn other

areas were summarized by Bonn et al.

(1976) and Westin and Rogers (1978).

Palawski et al. (1985) determined the

toxicity to young striped bass of a

mixture of 18 chemjcals and the

individual toxicities of the ;norganic

and organic fractions that composed

the mixture. They also determined

that the sensitivity of young striped

bass to seven inorganic compounds and

three organic pesticides equaled or

slightly exceeded thdt of most

sdlmonids, and exceeded that of

certain cyorinids, ictalurids, and

centrdrchids.

20
Table 6. Mean (n = 8) residue levels (ppm) for major classes of OrgdnOChlOrine

compounds in tissues of female striped bass from the Sacramento River, 1981 (from

Crosby et al. 1983).a

Compound

Source of residue

Lateral_T,~~___-_-_----Uvary----------_________~~v~~___

----K----l-F- --m---_TW ._~~_____~~_

Aroclor 1260. 18.01 1.36 9.05 1.70 12.30 1.03

Aroclor 1254 13.16 1.18 9.69 1.84 11.64 1.67

Toxaphene 1.85 0.18 1.83 0.35 1.82 0.12

DDT 10.35 0.90 7.21 1.33 6.13 0.53

Other OrgdnOChlOrinf?Sb 3.89 0.35 1.94 0.35 1.98 0.20

Total Organochlorines 48.81 4.14 30.72 5.77 36.24 3.38

---- -------~-------~------------------~---------~----

aLW = lipid weight bdsis; TW = tissue weight basis.

bChlorinated cyclodienes, hexachlorobenzene.

c

21

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l

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_ ._

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2 3
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24
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25
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\

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26
w

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29
I772 -101

LEPORT DOCU&BENTATION 1. nL~RT MQ- *z 1. Iulel.n(‘* Acc.*s‘on no.

PAGE Biological Report 82(11.82)

l-m* .md subtitr. i R*Llo~ oar

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements March 1988

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest)-- &

Striped Bass.

‘TEL% J. Hassler

L l *rfomlln~ Or~,n,r.t,on R.pt. k

hrfonn0ny O~mlr~tlon n.m. *%I Awry88

'California Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

Humboldt State University

Arcata, CA 95521

L SeawormS O,,.niutM Nmw .nd Add-s

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station

National Wetlands Research Center P.O. Box 631

Washington, DC 20240 Vicksburg, MS 39180

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4

6 tit- WrnlC 200 words)

Species profiles are literature summaries of the taxonomy, morphology, range, liff!

history, and environmental requirements of coastal aquatic species. They are designed to

assist in environmental impact assessment. The striped bass supports one of the most

important sport fisheries in the Pacific Southwest. The only population of striped

bass of consequence in the Pacific Southwest is in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary

and Pacific Ocean within 40 km of San Francisco Bay. Males mature at age 2 or 3 and

females at ages 4 to 7. Striped bass are anadromous and spawn in fresh- or nearly freshwater from April to June in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and the Delta area fornec

by the rivers. The semibuoyant eggs require a minimum current of 30.5 cm/s during development to keep them from settling to the bottom dnd dying. Year-class size of striped bass

in the estuary has been correlated with survival during early life. The abundance of

young bass, mean FL 38 mm, has been associated with river outflow from the Delta and the

percentage of the river inflow diverted. The abundance of striped bass in the estuary has

steadily declined since the 1960's; the decline is believed to be related to a combination

of toxic substances and entrainment of young bass. Temperature, salinity, and

river discharge are also important environmental factors affecting the

survival of striped bass.

.7. Docurrun( *nai)n*. . . Dnc_

Estuaries Animal migrations

Fisheries Life cycles

Growth Temperature

Feeding habits Salinity

b td.ntlRWs10Oen.End.d T.rrm

Striped bass River flows

Morone saxatilis Impingement

Spawning blater diversions

Nursery area

Unlimited distribution Unclassified

20. sKur,* CI#8, mIs PISS)

Unclassified

“. ..“,.I,.r”_- _s- I-- (Fornrrly NIlSkIS)

08~~rtmnr of cornmarc=
As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of

the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned

public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the

wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish

and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our

national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses

our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their

development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation

communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S.

administration.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

TAKEPRIDE

in America

UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

National Wetlands Research Center

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1010 Gause Boulevard

Slidell, LA 70458

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