Striped Bass thread

[stripermania]

According to this they had abundant fish. How do you think it got depleted over the years? No regulations, everyone took what they needed plus more.


On the Waterfront: Plymouth’s Maritime History PILGRIMS ON THE SHORE

In late autumn, 1620, the Mayflower, a ship of 180 tons —its draft too deep for the relatively shallow harbor— lay at anchor over a mile from Plymouth’s shore. At high tide a smaller vessel of 70-80 tons might have approached the shore. Initial explorations of the area were accomplished in the ship’s longboat. A shallop (a vessel that could be rowed or sailed) had been carried on the Mayflower partially dismantled and used for extra sleeping quarters for the overflow of passengers.
The shallop required 16-17 days to make ready for use on the water and afterwards remained in constant use. The harbor provided food for the colonists from the first. Edward Winslow described the bounty in a letter to George Morton in England

For fish and fowl we have great abundance; fresh cod in the summer is but coarse meat with us; our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish, in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night….

Indeed, the abundant cod and mackerel provided a good living, and sometimes wealth, to uncounted Plymoutheans through the ensuing centuries. By the 1770s, Plymouth boasted 75 fishing vessels with crews of 7 or 8 men. In 1832 James Thacher described provisions needed for a typical fishing voyage

To fit a vessel of 70 tons, carrying 8 men, for a fishing voyage of 4 months, it requires…800 bushels of salt…20 barrels of clam bait, 35-40 barrels of water, 20 lbs. of candles, 2 gallons of sperm oil….After these articles [and the stone ballast and clothes for the men who salt the fish] are paid for, the profits are divided …3/8 to the owners and 5/8 to the crew. If he furnishes his own provisions, each man carries 30-50 lbs. ship bread, 3-6 gallons molasses, 14-28 lbs. of flour, some butter, lard, vinegar, and [traditionally] 2-6 gallons of rum….Each man carries 6 codlines…4 lead weights of 5 lbs. each…24 codhooks, one pair large boots reaching above the knees…a piece of leather or oil-cloth to defend his breast against the wet…[also paid for by each man] 2 cords wood, a barrel of beef, 1 bushel beans, 20 of potatoes, 3 of meal….The fish are brought home in the salt, and after being washed are spread on flakes to dry.

Thacher, History of the Town of Plymouth, 3rd. ed.,
1972, p. 314-317

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/Waterfront2.htm

[CharlieTuna]

I can only imagine how abundant the fish were back then. I bet they used handlines to bring in 70+lb bass. I wonder if they livelined pogies, or just threw out the chunks?

[DarkSkies]

Something I posted today about spawning:

Anyone know what percentage of eggs will actually survive to reach maturity? I have to think more than 3 mature fish are produce from 5 million eggs......
Anyone know what it is?

1.First of all, I think it's too optimistic to use 5 million eggs, although I realize you were probably using that number to simplify things. The way I understand females dumping their eggs, is that if a female is carrying 5 million, she might not dump all of them during the spawn. To carry 5 million, she would (theoretically) have to be in the 40 or 50lb class. The females in that size class can behave differently when compared to the females in the size class from 30-38". (More on this when I get a chance to come back here and go into more detail.)


2. To try to specifically answer your question, what % of bass make it to maturity from an original spawn? it's pretty difficult, and even scientists have slight disagreements.
Generally, the research papers I've read claim that about 0-20% of the eggs let loose from a fertile female, will make it to the fry stage.

Some have defined this stage as when the bass is 45-52 days old after hatching. At that point many environmental hazards, and bulk of things that snack on these eggs like a quick protein shake are eliminated. Remember it's up to 20% (only in optimal cases, most likely less).

What is left from then on is bigger fish of all species as predators. --
Out of that number, some studies have shown that at least 3/4 of the remainder will not make it to adulthood to join in the breeding cycle again (about 4 years)....


3. So, your point about a small % of bass making it to adulthood, is a good one, and probably very close to reality. You could use a number of less than 10% survivability, and that could be pretty accurate.
(Could even be 1% or less as you suggested.....)

**You could use a range of 10% down to 1%, or less that will survive.

A. Assuming a 30 lb bass containing 3 million eggs, if all eggs were dumped out at one time, even with the worst case scenario assuming only 1% of the eggs survived to become adult bass,
that is 30,000 bass from one 30 lb breeding female that will make it to adulthood..

B. If you take a pessimistic view and assume only half that amount,
that is 15,000 bass coming from one 30 lb breeding female, that will make it to adulthood.

**Remember that the above figures are subject to a lot more variables than I have explained here.
The question of what that % is, can vary from year to year.
Something I could come back and go into detail on, if anyone wants to hear it.

[storminsteve]

Awesome info thanks for sharing ds.