The status of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, as a commercially ready species for marine us aquaculture

Authors: READING, BENJAMIN - North Carolina State University; BERLINSKY, DAVID - North Carolina State University; WOODS III, L. CURRY - North Carolina State University; Fuller, Adam; Webster, Carl; MCGINTY, ANDREW - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2018
Publication Date: 3/7/2019
Citation: Reading, B.J., Berlinsky, D.L., Woods Iii, L., Fuller, S.A., Webster, C.D., Mcginty, A.S. 2019. The status of striped bass, Morone saxatilis, as a commercially ready species for marine us aquaculture [abstract]. Aquaculture America 2019, March 7-11, 2019, New Orleans, LA . p. 895.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Striped bass is an anadromous fish native to the North American Atlantic Coast and it is well recognized and regarded as one of the most important recreational fisheries in the United States. Decades of research have been conducted on striped bass and its hybrid (striped bass x white bass) and culture methods have been established, in particular for the hybrid striped bass, which is the fourth largest finfish aquaculture industry in the nation ($50 million). Domestic striped bass have been bred over many years and are available from the government for commercial fry production using recently developed hormone-free methods along with traditional hormone-induced tank and strip spawning. No commercial scale intensive larval rearing technologies have been developed at present and fingerling production is conducted in fertilized freshwater ponds. Striped bass can be grown out in marine (32 ppt) or freshwater (< 5ppt), however they require high hardness (200+ ppm) and some salinity (8-10 ppt) to offset handling stress. Juveniles must be 1-10 g/fish prior to stocking into marine water. Commercially available fingerling, growout, and broodstock feeds are available from several vendors. Striped bass may reach 3 lb/fish in recirculating aquaculture by 18 months and as much as 5 lb/fish by 24 months. Farm gate value of striped bass has not been determined, although seasonally available harvested striped bass are valued at $3.00/lb and cultured hybrid striped bass are valued at $3.84-$4.20/lb whole; the farm gate value for cultured striped bass may be as much as $5.00 or more per lb depending on demand. The ideal market size is between 3 and 6 lb/fish, which is considerably larger than the 1.5-2 lb/fish for hybrid striped bass. Other than common opportunistic pathogens, there are no major disease concerns at present aside from VHS in the Great Lakes region.