Because their ranges transcend local, state, and in some cases, national boundaries, concern for their well-being is a major activity for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Conservation measures are necessary in order to maintain healthy populations of these fish in our public waters. National fish hatcheries are helping to achieve these objectives by enhancing and restoring native populations for all to enjoy. Adult stripers, captured from our rivers and reared at the hatchery, provide the eggs for the hatchery program. The fertilized eggs are incubated, and the larval fry that hatch from the eggs are cultured artificially.
Newborn fish have their own food supply in an attached yolk sac.
After this source is absorbed, the tiny fish are transferred to hatchery rearing ponds where they feed on a natural diet of microscopic organisms. Young striped bass are particularly vulnerable to pollution, starvation, and predators during these stages and in the wild, untold numbers are lost. However, on the hatchery the fish are protected and experience the best possible conditions for surviving. After 25 to 40 days, these fish grow to an average length of 2 inches and some are stocked at this size. Others are held and fed scientifically formulated diets to attain maximum growth.