Science activity

Staff of the Striped Bass Study calculate adult Striped Bass abundance, relative abundance, harvest rate, and survival rate by using data from Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (Party Boats;CPFV), various creel surveys, and a mark-recapture program. We monitor the relative abundance of adult Striped Bass by calculating catch per unit effort (CPUE) from data submitted by Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels. The Department's Marine Region compiles the data, we request the data at intervals, and we calculate CPUE. By applying tags to adult Striped Bass and monitoring the subsequent ratio of tagged fish to untagged fish, we calculate adult Striped Bass abundance, relative abundance, harvest rate, and survival rate. During April and May we use large traps near Knights Landing and nets near Antioch to collect adult Striped Bass, then we tag and release them on-site. Each tag includes our mailing address and a unique code, and some tags include a reward value. By posting "Tagged-fish Wanted" posters around the Estuary and making presentations, we encourage anglers to return tags to us. We also recover tags by talking with anglers during various creel surveys.