THE TEMPERATE BASS FAMILY Moronidae

WHITE PERCH Morone americana (Gmelin, 1789)

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE: Native. In Massachusetts, white perch were originally restricted to estuarine streams and coastal freshwater ponds. They are now common to abundant in many ponds statewide. Most inland landlocked populations are the result of stocking programs which started in the early 1900's.

STRIPED BASS Morone saxatilis (Walbaum, 1792)

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE: Native. Historically, striped bass were very abundant and probably entered most of Massachusetts' larger rivers before environmental changes associated with dams and pollution. With the improvements in many of Massachusetts' fishways during the last decade, non-reproducing stripers are now migrating the length of the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers into New Hampshire. Striped bass typically undergo natural population fluctuations that have been documented since before the turn of the 20th century. The changes in abundance have now been linked to peak years of successful reproduction followed by years of less successful reproduction. In recent years these natural fluctuations have been compounded by man-induced changes that effect water quality and thus reproductive and larval success. Counts of fishes currently passing Massachusetts fishways are available.