Maryland Striped Bass Reproduction Index Higher For 2026 But Below Average For Eighth Straight Year

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported that its 2026 juvenile striped bass survey in Chesapeake Bay recorded a young-of-year index of 5.5. The figure represents the eighth consecutive year of low spawning success for striped bass, but it is the highest index since 2018. The annual survey tracks reproductive success by sampling 22 sites across four major spawning areas—rivers Choptank, Nanticoke y Potomac, and the upper Chesapeake Bay—three times each summer using a 100-foot beach seine net. This year’s survey captured 723 juvenile striped bass, with strongest results in the upper Bay and the Choptank River. The long-term average index is 10.8, versus 4.0 in 2025 and 2.0 in 2024. DNR said improvements suggest better distribution, though continued low recruitment is expected to affect rebuilding coastwide. The survey also documented abundant young Atlantic menhaden, high numbers of Atlantic silversides, and above-average American shad reproduction in parts of the Potomac and upper Chesapeake Bay. Management measures across Atlantic states include reduced catch limits, tighter slot limits, and season closures.