striped bass age versus egg viability

[MakoMike]

I'm sure if you dig through the scientific papers from the ASMFC and the American Fisheries society you can find that data you're looking for. IIRC fecundity starts to drop off at around the 45 pound mark.

[beamie]

I asked a similar question a lond time ago and Bassbabe who is employed somehow in the biology field gave this response, no numbers but it is info.

Quote:
Originally Posted by beamie
Does anyone know what the best breading fish is? i.e. When people get bent out of shape when 50+ pounders are taken do those big old fish still produce or not. Are they like humans where after a certain age it just doesn't work anymore?


It all boils down to reproductive potential and fecundity. Fecundity is the number of eggs a female fish produces. The larger the fish, the more resources it can allocate toward egg production. Therefore, the largest fish lay the most eggs -- and they don't go thru the 'pause. But although a 50 lb-er may lay more eggs in one whack, it has lower reproductive potential, as it is not expected to live for a heck of alot longer. Reproductive potential is the potential number of offspring a fish can produce in its remaining lifetime. So...a younger, smaller fish has greater reproductive potential, assuming it will live for many more years, grow, and make more babies each year. So don't feel guilty taking the monster fish...think twice about keeping the 28 inchers, because they're the ones with many years of breeding and tons of striper babies in their future.

[baldwin]

Those huge cows may have a smaller percentage of viable eggs, but if they're producing a greater volume of eggs, that may, at least partially, make up for it. Secondly, if even a few of those eggs survive to produce a couple of more fish with those superior genetics, I believe it's worth it. Enough of those excuses to take the best fish out of the gene pool. If you have to kill the fish and show people that you can catch them, you're fishing for the wrong reasons. Give it up and buy some golf clubs.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by baldwin

Those huge cows may have a smaller percentage of viable eggs, but if they're producing a greater volume of eggs, that may, at least partially, make up for it. Secondly, if even a few of those eggs survive to produce a couple of more fish with those superior genetics, I believe it's worth it. Enough of those excuses to take the best fish out of the gene pool. If you have to kill the fish and show people that you can catch them, you're fishing for the wrong reasons. Give it up and buy some golf clubs.

Why on earth would you think that a older bigger fish has "superior genetics" to a smaller young fish? That's like saying your five year old kid won't grow up to be six feet tall because he's only 3 feet tall right now.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Why on earth would you think that a older bigger fish has "superior genetics" to a smaller young fish? That's like saying your five year old kid won't grow up to be six feet tall because he's only 3 feet tall right now.

Mike, that was dead nutz right on!

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Mike, that was dead nutz right on!

I think what you CAN say is that it is KNOWN the big cow has solid genes. The smaller fish's genetic disposition is unknown. We KNOW a cow has the potential to be a cow given that, well, she survived to get to be a large fish. The smaller fish, MAY, I STRESS MAY, be inferior. It MAY also be a true giant waiting to grow. It's just an unknown.

[Pete_G]

Of course I can't find them now, but I've read several articles that were pushing the idea that we are changing the biology (making the adult size smaller due to un-natural selection) of some groundfish that have been agressively fished over the years.

So, the concept of eliminating the biggest breeding fish resulting in smaller adult sized fish isn't foreign by any means.

Also, BassBabe's info is interesting. Her post is implying that a 50# fish's eggs aren't any less viable then a 30# fish, just that her reproductive potential is lower. This by itself contradicts "common knowledge" of striper reproductive nature. While we're questioning things, what is a natural end to a stripers growth? Just because 60's aren't common does that mean they're old? Or are they just uncommon because of all the fishing pressure?

This is good, some real info. I think there is a LOT of misinformation and misconception out there. We should have real facts about the resource so we can be happy with the call to keep a fish or send it back when we're fortunate enough to have a large fish at our feet.

I don't like the idea of some groups making us feel guilty for taking a large fish if there is no reason too, nor that others push the idea that taking them all won't effect the resource. Reality would be good and probably it's a combo of the two.

[Mike P]

Also, I don't think that 40 pounds is a really good benchmark for determining that a striper is some sort of Uberbass with superior genes. Luck plays a big part in a fish growing that big--if that fish was 6" to one side when it was a schoolie, the osprey might have snatched it instead of the one it did--genes or no genes. What the hell do genes have to do with avoiding getting encircled in some North Carolinian's haul seine? Basically, I think any female bass is capable of growing to 40 pounds.

Maybe when you get to 60 pounds, you have a case for superior genes.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Agreed Mike...
alot of it has to be luck of the draw

[beachwalker]

Originally Posted by baldwin

Those huge cows may have a smaller percentage of viable eggs, but if they're producing a greater volume of eggs, that may, at least partially, make up for it. Secondly, if even a few of those eggs survive to produce a couple of more fish with those superior genetics, I believe it's worth it. Enough of those excuses to take the best fish out of the gene pool. If you have to kill the fish and show people that you can catch them, you're fishing for the wrong reasons. Give it up and buy some golf clubs.

but I like golf ....?