to have bottomed out, and I think that there are indications 
that it has begun to recover. We are seeing a larger, 
average-size striped bass, rockfish, in the Bay, which suggests 
that the minimum size limits are being effective. 
In Virginia, we've seen a rather significant increase in our 
recruitment index over the last five years. If you look at 
Maryland waters, however, you find that their riverine systems 
of the Chesapeake Bay show average or below average recruitment. 
Moreover, when we move to the Upper Bay, the Susquehanna 
Flats, which traditionally carry the entire Chesapeake Bay 
stock, we find there is an almost total recruitment failure. I 
think we should change our focus and take a closer look at 
what's happening at the Head of the Bay on the Susquehanna 
Flats, and perhaps, ask our Pennsylvania neighbors to assist us 
in this closer examination. 
We see limited recovery of shad and river herring stocks in 
Virginia. The situation remains static in Maryland. I could 
tell you that we've seen a 100 percent increase in the shad run 
this year, which wouldn't mean a whole lot when you know that 
landings actually rose from 200 to 500 metric tons. 
Generally, the other stocks such as weakfish, spot, croaker, 
and flounder tend to fluctuate primarily due to the impacts of 
climatic events. We have not documented the impacts on these 
stocks that we can relate to pollution. Overharvesting is 
probably the greatest cause of a stock decline once the fish 
pass a normal cyclic peak. On the other hand, some stocks of 
these if they weren't fished at all, would decline, naturally. 
While the Bay blue crab stock "appears” to be stable, there 
has been such an increase in fishing effort over the last few 
years that in all likelihood the catch-per-unit effort through¬ 
out the Chesapeake Bay has been reduced. Commercial catch data 
(our index of stock size) show an increase, but reduced catch- 
per-unit of effort suggest an actual stock decline. 
The oyster harvest is down in both States. Recruitment is 
down. Efforts are being made, significant in Virginia, to 
examine why there has been a decline in recruitment and see 
whether corrective measures can be followed. 
I want to close with a few comments on a new effort that has 
been initiated. This is the Federal/State/Chesapeake Bay Stock 
Assessment Committee. Thanks to Senator Mathias and support 
from other Senators from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, 
NOAA has received a million-and-a half dollars for Bay-wide 
stock assessment activities. 
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