Rockfish survey shows good levels

By Linda Cicoira

Preliminary results of a rockfish survey show 2021 as an average year for the young fish of that species in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay, according to information released Wednesday by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

The ongoing long-term survey is conducted by VIMS. The 2021-year class represents those hatched last spring that will grow to fishable sizes in three to four years.

The study, officially called Juvenile Striped Bass Seine Survey, recorded a mean value of 6.30 fish per seine haul. “The 2021 value—which scientists call a recruitment index—is similar to the historic average of 7.77 fish per seine haul and represents the ninth consecutive year of average or above-average recruitment in Virginia waters,” a spokesperson said.

“Although there can be considerable variation in striped bass recruitment among years, the indices observed in recent years suggest that abundance of juvenile striped bass in Virginia has been relatively stable,” the representative added. Striped bass play an important role as a top predator in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and are a valuable resource for commercial and recreational anglers.

Biologists sample sites five times from late June to late August, deploying a 100-foot seine net from the shore. Each fish captured is counted, measured, and returned. These bass usually measure between 1.5 and 4 inches. Survey scientists measured 1,512 juvenile striped bass at these stations in 2021. VIMS has been conducting the survey annually since 1967 for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.

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