The Interrelationships Between Dissolved Oxygen and Recreational Morone saxatilis (striped bass) Catch in the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Declining dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions in the Chesapeake Bay negatively affect human uses of the Bay, including recreational striped bass fishing. These changes impact where, when, and if fishermen will catch a fish. Development of human-use indicator models allow for more precise quantification of low DO's effect on catch. In this study, improved modeling determined optimum DO for striped bass recreational catch in the Chesapeake to be in the range of 8-9 mg/L. Positive relationships between increased DO and catch were seen in the majority of statistical analysis for the Chesapeake. When DO is increased from 2 to 5 mg/L DO over the whole Chesapeake Bay, there is a corresponding increase in striped bass catch of 149.4%. Results from this study and others demonstrate that not only do human activities impact the form and function of ecosystems, but the use and enjoyment of those ecosystems by humans is also impaired.