ECOLOGY OF BUZZARDS BAY: An Estuarine Profile 53 



until about 2 years old, with Chesapeake Bay be- 

 ing the primary spawning ground for most of the 

 striped bass along the east coast. Striped bass are 

 not known to spawn in Buzzards Bay waters; how- 

 ever, small fish (averaging 3-5 years old out of a 

 potentially 20 year life span) are frequently found in 

 the Weweantic River estuary. New Bedford Har- 

 bor/Acushnet River, and throughout the bay itself 

 (Clayton et al. 1 978). Although primarily a summer 

 resident, some overwintering bass have been re- 

 ported in southern Massachusetts rivers. Like blue- 

 fish they are voracious feeders, consuming fish and 

 invertebrates such as herring, smelt, hake, squid, 

 crabs, lobsters, and polychaetes. Striped bass rep- 

 resents one of the most important recreational spe- 

 cies in the bay. Overfishing and natural annual fluc- 

 tuations in populations have resulted in a recent 9 1 - 

 cm size limit for this species in Massachusetts. 



Many species prevalent in Buzzards Bay depend 

 on the brackish waters found in the many tidal wet- 

 lands bordering the bay for spawning areas and 

 more often as nursery habitat and feeding areas. 

 Many of the species discussed above are preda- 

 tory, exploiting fish and animal populations in wet- 

 lands during early stages of growth. Shrimp and 

 menhaden, although spawned at sea, often seek out 

 these brackish waters for nursery grounds during 

 their developmental stages, growing on the abun- 

 dance of organic material provided in these sys- 

 tems. Tidal wetlands are temporary or permanent 

 homes to many other species offish as well. Mum- 

 michog (Fundulus heteroclitus), striped killifish 

 (Fundulus majalis), silversides (Menidia 

 menidia), and four-spined sticklebacks (Apeltes 

 quadracus) abound in Buzzards Bay salt marshes; 

 other species, such as alewives, Atlantic menha- 

 den, tautog, sea bass, winter flounder, and three- 

 spined sticklebacks (Gasterostrus aculeatus), are 

 only seasonal visitors, but their residence period in 

 these marshes represents a very important stage in 

 their life cycles. More information on these tidal 

 marsh species is presented in the section on salt 

 marshes. 



Avian Fauna. The diversity of marine habi- 

 tats within the Buzzards Bay system is reflected in 



the avian fauna. Marine and estuarine birds harvest 

 the aquatic resources of the open bay waters as 

 well as the bay's intertidal marshes and mudflats. 

 More than 50 resident and migrant species rely upon 

 bay waters for food and nesting habitat (Table 4.4), 

 not including the various terrestrial species that op- 

 portunistically feed within intertidal areas. 



Islands located around the bay (Ram, Bird, 

 Gosnold, Nashauwena, Penekise, Pasque, and 

 Cuttyhunk) are important nesting habitats for sea- 

 birds. For instance, as of 1 984, Gosnold had over 

 1 ,000 nesting pairs of double-crested cormorants 

 (Phalacrocorax auritus) in addition to a signifi- 

 cant number of herring (Larus argentatus; 658 

 pair) and great black-backed {Larus marimts: 1 30 

 pair) gulls; Nashauwena supported nesting pairs of 

 snowy egrets (Egretta thula; 30 pair), black- 

 crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax; 20 

 pair), common terns (Sterna hirundo; 1 40 pair), 

 least terns {Sterna antillarum; 68 pair), roseate 

 terns (Sterna dougallii; 2 pair), herring gulls (930 

 pair), and great black-backed gulls (200 pair) (B. 

 Blodgett. Massachusetts Natural Heritage and En- 

 dangered Species Program, personal communica- 

 tion). Long-term studies of avian population dynam- 

 ics are being conducted in this area by the Massa- 

 chusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species 

 Program and the Massachusetts Division of Fish 

 and Wildlife. Of particular interest are Ram and Bird 

 islands (owned by the Massachusetts Natural Heri- 

 tage and Endangered Species Program), both of 

 which are the subject of intensive bird recovery pro- 

 grams where attempts are being made to reestab- 

 lish nesting colonies for roseate, least, and common 

 terns. Increasing populations of nesting herring gulls 

 and great black-backed gulls have diminished the 

 availability of nesting sites for these terns. In addi- 

 tion, the gulls prey on tern eggs and young, increas- 

 ing mortality. Attempts are being undertaken to in- 

 crease tern nesting populations by discouraging or 

 removing nesting gulls in formerly established tern 

 sites, encouraging Decolonization by the terns in these 

 as well as new areas. Bird Island, a primary nesting 

 site for the endangered roseate tern, is a prime 

 example. 



