7921 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7921
• Author: Trembly, T. L. and G. A. Gould.
• Title: Opportunities To Protect Instream Flows In Colorado And Wyoming.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Biological Report 87‎(10)‎,
• Copyright Material: NO

STRIPED BASS (Morone saxatilis Walbaum)
INTRODUCTION
Habitat suitability information about striped bass and methods for apply-
ing the information are needed for water resource planning and management
where the species is of concern. The purpose of this paper is to develop
striped bass Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models for use with- the Habitat
Evaluation Procedures (HEP) and Suitability Index (SI) curves for use with the
Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM). HEP, which was first developed
in 1976 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1980), is being applied Nationwide in
both the public and private sectors (Schamberger and Krohn 1982) and is the
most widely used evaluation technique by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
Division of Ecological Services (Hardy 1981). IFIM, which became operational
in 1978 (Bovee and Milhous 1978; Stalnaker 1978), was initially used for
assessment of the effects of stream flow regimes on fish communities in streams
in the western portion of the United States. It is now being used Nationwide
for evaluating stream habitats and developing management recommendations and
mitigating alternatives. There are several similarities and differences
between the outputs and recommended uses of HEP and IFIM (Armour et al. 1984).
HEP is a generalized technique for use in terrestrial. and aquatic habitats.
IFIM is a specialized method designed for flowing water only.
Literature on striped bass is broad, resulting from over a century of
investigations about a species that is generally characterized as being
anadromous and is of great interest and importance to sporting, commerical,
and scientific interests alike. A conservation measure for the fishery was
enacted as early as 1639 (Pearson 1938). Fish culturists began attempts to
propagate the species by the early 1880's (Worth 1884) in hopes of increasing
its abundance in estuarine and riverine habitats. Freshwater reservoirs in
New Jersey were stocked with striped bass as early as about 1935 (Surber
1958). Early reports on the life history of the striped bass (Scofield 1931;
Pearson 1938; Merriman 1941; Raney 1952; Rathjen and Miller 1957), recent
bibliographies (Pfuderer et al. 1975; Rogers and Westin 1975; Horseman and
Kernehan 1976), and recent synopses (Westin and Rogers 1978; Hardy 1978;
Setzler et al. 1980) are excellent sources of information about the species.
The Striped Bass Committee, Southern Division, American Fisheries Society,
identifies special study needs for striped bass, synthesizes information about
introductions of the species into inland waters, and serves as a clearing
house for information about striped bass in the southeastern United States.
Even though the striped bass has been studied under a variety of labora-
tory and field conditions, there is a dearth of published information about