Striped bass » Wild striped bass
Details About Wild striped bass
 a.k.a. Morone saxatilis, rockfish, striper, linesidesHealth DetailsMore about seafood and health » |
Eco DetailsEven though striped bass are both farmed and wild-caught in an environmentally sustainable manner, Environmental Defense recommends that you eat only farmed striped bass because of high levels of contaminants in wild striped bass. Wild striped bass have recovered from earlier population crashes, and are now at record levels. Farmed hybrid striped bass are raised in ponds and tanks that limit water pollution and spread of disease. |
More About Wild striped bass
Striped bass normally live in coastal waters but spawn in freshwater – although some populations are landlocked in freshwater lakes or rivers. Farmed striped bass are hybrids, a cross between striped bass and white bass. Their broken stripes distinguish them from wild striped bass, which have solid stripes. Wild striped bass can grow to 6 feet (183 cm) in length and may live 30 years.
Commercial Sources
Wild striped bass are native to the freshwater and marine environments of eastern North America. Their range extends from the St. Lawrence River in Canada to the St. Johns River in northern Florida and throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico. Striped bass have been introduced into several countries.
Capture Methods
Striped bass come from coastal fisheries and fish farms. Wild bass are primarily caught with gillnets. Additional types of fishing gear include handlines, pound nets, and bottom trawls. Farmed bass are raised in ponds and tanks.
Note: Farmed striped bass are a hybrid of striped bass and white bass.
This guide is produced in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
