MBL March Madness: Striped Bass

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is a migratory fish native to the East Coast of the United States. They are anadromous fish that spends the early part of their lives in freshwater before moving to saltwater. Each spring, adult striped bass travel from the ocean into tidal freshwater rivers along the Atlantic Coast to breed. They then return to the ocean, where some migrate as far north as the Bay of Fundy, a journey that can be over 700 miles. Other populations travel much shorter distances or don’t migrate coastally. 

Through the Striped Bass Magic program at the MBL, students and teachers conduct hypothesis-driven studies of striped bass biology and behavior to learn how the local ecosystem is affected by habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change. Studying Eel Pond’s striped bass population leads to new insights into how environmental changes can impact ecosystems and their inhabitants -- and how we can protect species like the bass and make sure they thrive for generations to come.

Fun Facts: 

• Woods Hole has two unique striped bass populations that migrate to Eel Pond every year. 
• Woods Hole striped bass travel 600 miles annually.
• The world record for longest striped bass is held by a 48-inch, 58-pound fish caught and released in January 2020.