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Fishery Bulletin 106(2) 
total length to predator total length (prey-to-predator 
ratios; PPR) were examined. We used one-way analysis 
of variance (ANOVA) to test for differences in mean 
length (Log 10 transformed) between the fish from the 
trawl and recreational samples (P< 0.05). We also fitted 
a least squares linear regression of prey total length 
and striped bass total length. 
Results 
We collected 263 stomachs from striped bass in the trawl 
samples from 1994 through 2003 (Table 1); specimens 
ranged from 373 to 955 mm TL (mean=662.2 ±129.1 
standard deviation (SD); Fig. 2). The percentage of 
stomachs that contained food ranged from 73.5% to 
100% (mean = 84.6%). From the recreational samples 
(2005-07), 891 fish were examined (Table 1). The striped 
bass size ranged from 509 to 1250 mm TL (mean=918.9 
±93.8 SD; Fig. 2). The size of fish collected from the 
recreational catch were significantly larger (ANOVA, 
P=<0.0001; df =1) than those collected by trawl. 
The percentage of stomachs containing food items was 
more variable for striped bass caught by recreational 
anglers (23.6-80.7%), than for the fish caught by trawl 
(73.5-100.0%). In 2005, 23.6% of the stomachs con- 
tained food; increased to 24.4% in 2006, and to 80.7% 
by 2007. Collectively, 19 fish and invertebrate species 
constituted the diet of striped bass (Table 2), and fish 
predominated. 
Feeding habits (trawl samples 1994—2003) 
Atlantic menhaden and bay anchovy were the most 
abundant species present in striped bass stomachs in all 
years sampled; they also dominated the diet in biomass 
and numerically. Atlantic menhaden accounted 9.5% 
of the diet numerically and 50.3% by biomass (Fig. 3). 
The biomass of Atlantic menhaden was constant (40%) 
from 1994 to 2000; this contribution nearly doubled to 
73.8% in 2002 and 72.4% by 2003. Atlantic menhaden 
showed no consistent pattern numerically and was gen- 
erally <15%. 
Concurrent with the increase in the biomass of At- 
lantic menhaden consumed was a decline in the percent 
biomass of bay anchovy found in the diet of striped 
bass. Bay anchovy accounted for 16.5% of the biomass 
to 29.9% of the diet numerically throughout the study 
period (Fig. 3). Between 1994 to 2000 mean percent 
biomass for bay anchovy was 43.4% and they repre- 
sented 71.3% of the diet numerically. However, by 2002, 
the percent biomass declined to 16.7% and represented 
<6.6% in 2003. Bay anchovy dominated the diet by 
number, representing 94.5% in 1995 and remained 
>80% from 1996 through 2002 (Fig. 3). 
Sciaenids and alosine species were minor contribu- 
tors to the diet of striped bass. Weakfish (Cynoscion 
regalis ) was absent from the diet before 2002 and rep- 
resented <0.5% of the diet during the study (Table 2). 
From 1994 to 2003, Atlantic croaker ( Micropogonias 
undulatus ) was absent, except in 1995 and 2003 when 
it represented 10.1% and 14.7% 
of the diet biomass, respectively. 
Alosines (American shad [A/osa 
sapidissima]; blueback herring 
[A. aestivalis]', and hickory shad 
[A. mediocris ]) were a minor part 
of the diet of striped bass, and 
they occurred only during 1994 
and 1996. American shad were 
found once in 1996 (4.5% bio- 
mass, 6.8% numerically). Blue- 
back herring were present in 
1994 and 1996 and represented 
3.1% and 8.1% of the diet bio- 
mass, respectively. Invertebrates 
were a minor portion of the diet 
of large striped bass generally 
contributing <1.0% to the diet 
(Table 2). 
Feeding habits 
(determined from recreational 
catch samples 2005—07) 
In the recreational catches, At- 
lantic menhaden and bay anchovy 
dominated striped bass diet both 
by biomass (88.9%) and numeri- 
cally (93.6%). Biomass of Atlantic 
menhaden remained consistent 
25 -i 
20 
S' 15 
10 - 
5 - 
I I Trawl 
■■■ Recreational catch 
JZL 
300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 
Total length (mm) 
Figure 2 
Length-frequency histogram for striped bass ( Morone saxatilis) collected during 
the winter off the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina during 1994-2007. 
