Distribution and Growth of Young-of-the-Year Striped Bass in the Miramichi River Estuary, Gulf of St. Lawrence

Distribution and growth of young-of-the-year striped bass Morone saxatilis were determined at the northern edge of the species' range in the Miramichi River, Gulf of St. Lawrence, between May and December 1992, from samples obtained from ichthyoplankton, beach seine, trawling, and bycatch surveys. Shortly after yolk absorption, catches declined in offshore plankton surveys, and young-of-the-year appeared in nearshore areas. As summer progressed, young-of-the-year striped bass moved downstream into more saline waters. Downstream migration appeared to be size related. A logistic growth model closely fit field observations. Growth was relatively slow in spring (June: 0.32 mm/d), rapid in summer (July, August, and September: 0.75–1.15 mm/d), and reduced in fall (October and November: 0.17–0.46 mm/d). Growth was faster and length attained before winter was greater than reported for populations in the center of the species' geographic distribution.