Offshore Habitat Preference of Migrating Juvenile and Adult Black Sea Bass, Centropristis Striata, and the Relationship to Year-Class Strength

Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata) migrations play a role in overwinter survival and connectivity between juveniles and adults. This study identified drivers of habitat choice and regional differences between juvenile and adult Black Sea Bass. Oceanographic and fisheries survey data were analyzed using generalized additive models and inverse distance weighting. Among the oceanographic variables investigated, salinity was the main driver in habitat selection with an optimal range of 33 – 35 PSU for both juveniles and adults. Preferred temperature ranges were broader and varied between fish north and south of Hudson Canyon. In the northern region, juveniles and adults preferred winter temperatures >8 º C, with no maximum observed. A similar minimum was observed to the south, with a peak at 12.5 º C. Shelf water volume revealed less of a trend than temperature or salinity but had an overall negative relationship with survey catch. This suggests that the optimal habitat for migrating Black Sea Bass may be more shoreward during years when shelf water volume is low, resulting in a shorter migration. While greater catches of Black Sea Bass in the northwest Atlantic Ocean remain south of Hudson Canyon, the species' range is expanding north in recent years.