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The striped bass, or rockfish as it is known locally, has been a major food
and sport fish on the Atlantic coast of North America. A virtual disappearance
of this species in the late 1970's led resource managers to close the fishery
and helped stimulate increased research on hatchery production of striped bass
and hybrids (striped bass crossed with the white bass). Both approaches
have proven to be worthwhile, with signs of recovery in natural stocks and
successful development of commercial production of hybrid bass. Hybrid striped bass culture offers good potential for development of a viable foodfish industry in our region because of strong consumer familiarity. Striped bass are indigenous to the Mid-Atlantic region and are adapted (as are hybrids) to conditions in freshwater and estuarine (brackish and saltwater) environments. However, cultivation of hybrids has been limited to ponds or tanks to prevent the fish's accidental escape into natural habitats. Commercial production of hybrid bass on Delmarva is just getting started and will become more established as the technical aspects of brood stock management, fingerling production, and nutrition (specific feed formulation) are improved and regulatory questions regarding brood stock acquisition, disease certification, and interstate transport and sale are resolved. The striped bass is dark olive to bluish above, paling on the sides to silvery white on the belly. This stout-shaped fish has large scales and 7-8 longitudinal stripes on both sides. The hybrid striped bass is silvery with dark, broken horizontal lines. Striped bass average 8-15 pounds (reaching as high as 72 pounds), while the hybrid striped bass is sold at 1 1/2-2 pounds after 10-12 months' growth in tanks or 18 months in ponds. Striped bass become available periodically in restaurants and retail outlets when there are openings in the fishery; farm-raised hybrid sriped bass are available on a more consistent basis year-round.
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