Maine Seafood Guide – Striped Bass

Striped bass, Boston Aquarium
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Photo: Steven G. Johnson
Species Description
Season
Status
Regulatory Authority
Harvest Method
Recreational Harvest
Health Benefits & Risks
Buying & Preparing
Brands
Certifications
Links

►Species Description

Striped bass Morone saxatilis also known as stripers

Wild. There is aquaculture for striped bass, but no farms currently operating in Maine. Cultured fish are typically hybrids (white bass female crossed with a striped bass male).

Striped bass are a migratory fish that range from the St. Lawrence River in Canada south to Florida. A long-lived species (up to 30 years), striped bass migrate along the coast, in salt and fresh water, inhabiting beaches, rocky shores, bays, estuaries, and deep river channels.

►Season

January 1 – December 31. Populations and migrations vary from year to year.

►Status

Striped bass, once heavily overfished, have recovered following the implementation of strict management controls on the commercial and recreational fisheries. The 2015 Atlantic striped bass stock assessment update indicates the resource is not overfished or experiencing overfishing (more from Fishwatch.gov).

►Regulatory Authority

Commercial fishing for striped bass is prohibited in Maine. Recreational fishing in state waters is governed by the Department of Marine Resources. The migratory stock is managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

►Harvest Method

Hook and line.

►Recreational Harvest

yellow warning symbolIt is illegal to take fish in Federal waters (waters farther than 3 miles offshore)
Season is January 1 to December 31
Limits: 1 fish per day, greater than or equal to 28 inches and less than or equal to 35 inches in total length.
Gear restrictions: Hook and line only, no gaffing.

►Health Benefits & Risks

Striped bass is a low-fat source of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.

yellow warning symbolThere is a consumption advisory for striped bass due to contamination from mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and other chemicals. The State of Maine recommends that pregnant and nursing women, women who may get pregnant, nursing mothers and children under the age of eight not eat any striped bass. Everyone else should eat no more than four meals per year.

►Buying & Preparing

The sale of wild striped bass caught for personal use or by commercial fisheries in other states or jurisdictions is prohibited in the State of Maine. Striped bass sold in Maine markets and restaurants is therefore cultured product primarily from the Southern US.

►Companies, Brands, and Labels

►Certifications & Verifications

►Links