Ka. Robichaudleblanc et al., DISTRIBUTION AND GROWTH OF YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR STRIPED BASS IN THE MIRAMICHI RIVER ESTUARY, GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 127(1), 1998, pp. 56-69
Distribution and growth of young-of-the-year striped bass Morone saxat
ilis were determined at the northern edge of the species' range in the
Miramichi River, Gulf of St. Lawrence, between May and December 1992,
from samples obtained from ichthyoplankton, beach seine, trawling, an
d bycatch surveys. Shortly after yolk absorption, catches declined in
offshore plankton surveys, and young-of-the-year appeared in nearshore
areas. As summer progressed, young-of-the-year striped bass moved dow
nstream into more saline waters. Downstream migration appeared to be s
ize related. A logistic growth model closely fit field observations. G
rowth was relatively slow in spring (June: 0.32 mm/d), rapid in summer
(July, August, and September: 0.75-1.15 mm/d), and reduced in fall (O
ctober and November: 0.17-0.46 mm/d). Growth was faster and length att
ained before winter was greater than reported for populations in the c
enter of the species' geographic distribution.