How Telemetry Has Changed Our Perception, and Management, of the Newly Reintroduced Striped Bass Population in the St.Lawrence R

Since its reintroduction in the St.Lawrence Estuary in 2002, striped bass rapidly increased demographically and a complex population dynamics has established including in situ reproduction. To manage efficiently this species, the Québec government initiated several monitoring programs and collaborative research projects. We present results brought by our system-wide telemetry program. Since 2010, a total of 111 striped bass are individually tracked through >100 receptors (part of OTN) distributed along 400 km. While studies on the historical (extinct) population suggested a simple population dynamic, telemetry-based individual tracking revealed a much more complex dynamic involving more than one contingent. We find that some individuals are exhibiting broad migratory movements during the growing season (e.g. >200 km) while some are exhibiting a more sedentary distribution. The system-wide utilization by migratory individuals likely bias upward the density presumed for the species throughout the system. Theses findings highlight the plasticity for this specie to rapidly exploit a productive environment, including the establishment of migratory contingents maximizing access to the entire productivity of the system. Finally, the widespread dispersion must be acknowledged when identifying essential habitats and stresses the importance of considering a mixed-stock approach to protect the various migratory contingents supporting this (future) fishery.