Domestication and strain evaluation of striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Variation in growth rate within and among geographic strains of striped bas s, Morone saxatilis, has recently been evaluated by researchers at the Univ ersity of Maryland. Recent research on strain evaluation of geographical po pulations of striped bass suggests that Maryland strains may exhibit superi or growth rates among those populations examined. In this study, variation in growth rate was evaluated within and among a number of striped bass fami lies originated from Chesapeake Bay, MD, USA, as well as five additional No rth American, Atlantic coast strains from Nova Scotia, Canada to Florida, U SA. AU striped bass were maintained in flow-through tank systems receiving ambient Chesapeake Bay water. Significant differences in growth performance among putative genetic stocks within the 1983 year-class F-1 demonstrated among-stock variation that could be exploited in a selective breeding progr am, Similarly, comparisons of growth performance within and among domestica ted F-2 families of the 1992 year-class revealed significant differences am ong the families, as well as the geographic stocks, suggesting the utility of heritability estimation experiments and a selection program designed to utilize both individual and family selection. Comparisons of growth at age 2 in both length and weight between families of the Maryland strain and fam ilies from five other geographical regions revealed significant differences between strains. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.