A moratorium on all harvest of Striped Bass from the Cape Fear River has been in place for more than 15 years due to the low numbers of spawning adults and limited natural reproduction. The most likely causes of the lack of naturally produced fish are inadequate fish passage at the locks and dams, which block access to historic spawning grounds and reduce flows; poor water quality and pollution from various urban and agricultural sources, as well as storm events; and predation by non-native species, such as Blue Catfish and Flathead Catfish. “The switch to a different strain of Striped Bass is an interesting management approach that will hopefully result in better angling opportunities on the Cape Fear River,” remarked Chad Thomas, Executive Director of the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation. “We are proud to financially support this year’s stocking efforts and look forward to learning the results from the genetic evaluation that will follow.”
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