Movement Patterns and Stock Composition of Adult Striped Bass Tagged in Massachusetts Coastal Waters

Despite the importance of the Atlantic striped bass coastal migratory stock to Massachusetts fisheries, information on the seasonal movement patterns and migratory pathways of these fish within Massachusetts coastal waters (MCW) and beyond is limited. Using passive acoustic telemetry, the seasonal residency, coastal migration, and stock composition of 159 adult striped bass were evaluated in MCW and along the U.S. Atlantic coast. Seasonal monitoring indicated that adult striped bass were present in MCW annually from May through November, immigrating to and emigrating from the region via the Cape Cod Canal and the east side of Cape Cod. Of the tagged individuals, 79% were detected outside of MCW and observed to make seasonal migrations along the coast to mid-Atlantic overwintering and spawning areas. Numerous individuals exhibited inter-annual fidelity to summer foraging habitat in MCW, returning to the region for up to two years. Detection of tagged individuals in known spawning areas revealed that striped bass from each major stock were present within MCW. The results of this study indicate that the seasonal population of adult striped bass in MCW has a diversity of origins, underscoring the importance of the health of each spawning component to the MA seasonal fishery.