Striped bass

The striped bass (Morone saxatilis), also called Atlantic striped bass, striper, linesider, pimpfish, rock, or rockfish, is an anadromous Perciforme fish of the Moronidae family found primarily along the Atlantic coast of North America. It has also been widely introduced into inland recreational fisheries across the United States.

The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, and South Carolina, and the state saltwater (marine) fish of New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and New Hampshire. They are also found in the Minas Basin, Gaspereau River, and Northumberland Strait in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the Miramichi River and Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada.

The history of the striped bass fishery in North America dates back to the Colonial period. Many written accounts by some of the first European settlers describe the immense abundance of striped bass along with alewives traveling and spawning up most rivers in the coastal Northeast.

Morphology and lifespan