176 
Distribution, movements, and habitat use 
of small striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) 
across multiple spatial scales 
Kenneth W. Able' 
Thomas M. Grothues' 
Jason T. Turnure 1 
Donald M. Byrne 2 * 
Paul Clerkin' 
E-mail address for contact author: able@marine.rutaers.edu 
' Rutgers University Marine Field Station 
800 c/o 132 Great Bay Blvd. 
Tuckerton, New Jersey 08087 
2 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 
Nacote Creek Research Station 
P.O Box 418 
Port Republic, New Jersey 08241 
* Posthumous 
Abstract — Distribution, movements, 
and habitat use of small (<46 cm, 
juveniles and individuals of unknown 
maturity) striped bass (Morone saxa- 
tilis) were investigated with multiple 
techniques and at multiple spatial 
scales (surveys and tag-recapture in 
the estuary and ocean, and telemetry 
in the estuary) over multiple years to 
determine the frequency and dura- 
tion of use of non-natal estuaries. 
These unique comparisons suggest, 
at least in New Jersey, that smaller 
individuals (<20 cm) may disperse 
from natal estuaries and arrive in 
non-natal estuaries early in life and 
take up residence for several years. 
During this period of estuarine resi- 
dence, individuals spend all seasons 
primarily in the low salinity portions 
of the estuary. At larger sizes, they 
then leave these non-natal estuaries 
to begin coastal migrations with those 
individuals from nurseries in natal 
estuaries. These composite observa- 
tions of frequency and duration of 
habitat use indicate that non-natal 
estuaries may provide important 
habitat for a portion of the striped 
bass population. 
Manuscript submitted 23 February 2011. 
Manuscript accepted 10 November 2011. 
Fish. Bull. 110:176-192 (2012) 
The views and opinions expressed 
or implied in this article are those of the 
author (or authors) and do not necessarily 
reflect the position of the National Marine 
Fisheries Service, NOAA. 
A full understanding of the distribu- 
tion, movements, and habitat use of 
juvenile and other subadult striped 
bass ( Morone saxatilis ) is central to 
deciphering the role, impacts, and 
management of this abundant and 
important species in estuarine and 
coastal ocean habitats. This is espe- 
cially true for the populations between 
Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of 
Maine where adults can be highly 
migratory and are seasonal partici- 
pants in coastal migrations (Chapoton 
and Sykes, 1961; Boreman and Lewis, 
1987; Waldman et ah, 1990; Able and 
Grothues, 2007; Welsh et ah, 2007; 
Grothues et ah, 2009; Mather et ah, 
2010). More recently, it has become 
apparent that some components of 
these same populations may be resi- 
dent in estuaries throughout their 
life cycle (Secor, 1999; Secor and Pic- 
coli, 2007; Wingate and Secor, 2007). 
Despite the accumulating understand- 
ing of life cycle diversity for adults (see 
Secor and Kerr, 2009 for M. saxatilis 
and other species), we have an incom- 
plete understanding for juveniles and 
other subadults (Pautzke et ah, 2010). 
The conventional interpretation based 
on studies of natal estuaries, includ- 
ing Chesapeake Bay and other large 
estuaries (Merriman, 1941; Mansueti, 
1961; Waldman et ah, 1990), is that 
juveniles remain in estuaries for the 
first few years of life before leaving 
to join the coastal migration and may 
stay longer, if they are natal estuarine 
residents (Secor 1999; Ashley et ah, 
2000; Secor and Piccoli, 2007). 
For those individuals that even- 
tually become coastal migrants, the 
available data suggest that the du- 
ration of residency in estuaries ap- 
pears to vary with location and be- 
tween years, potentially relative to 
year class strength and associated 
density dependence (e.g., Kohlenstein, 
1981), as well as size and maturity 
for males and females (e.g., Kohlen- 
stein, 1981; Secor and Piccoli, 2007). 
For example, an early interpreta- 
tion was that a mass emigration of 
small individuals takes place from 
Chesapeake Bay after ages 2 and 3 
(Kohlenstein, 1981). More recently, 
analysis with otolith microchemistry 
suggests a gradual shift associated 
with sexual maturation at ages 5-8 
for upper Chesapeake Bay individuals 
(Secor and Piccoli, 2007). In the Hud- 
son River, it is estimated that emi- 
gration from the estuary can occur 
into adjacent Long Island Sound and 
the New York Bight at ages 1 and 2 
(Secor and Piccoli, 1996) or earlier by 
age-0 individuals (Dovel 1992, Dun- 
ning et ah, 2009). 
