Frequently Asked Questions about the Estuarine Striped Bass Amendment 2 Revision

The goal of Amendment 2 is to manage the estuarine striped bass fisheries to achieve self-sustaining populations that provide sustainable harvest based on science-based decision-making processes. If biological and/or environmental factors prevent a self-sustaining population, then alternate management strategies will be implemented that provide protection for and access to the resource.

Amendment 2 management for the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers stocks carried forward the Supplement A no-possession measure, maintained the gill net closure above the ferry lines, and maintained the use of 3-foot tie-downs for gill nets below the ferry lines. The Amendment 2 adaptive management framework for the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers stocks prescribes that in 2025, data through 2024 would be evaluated to determine if populations are self-sustaining and if sustainable harvest can be determined. In addition, the MFC approved the following measure in Amendment 2 regarding the gill net closure: “maintain the gill net prohibition through 2024 to allow for assessment of its performance”. If analysis indicated the populations are self-sustaining and a level of sustainable harvest can be determined, recommendations for harvest strategies would be developed. If analysis indicated biological and/or environmental factors prevented a self-sustaining population, alternate management strategies would be developed providing protection for and access to the resource.

In 2025, data through 2024 were evaluated to determine if the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers striped bass populations are self-sustaining and if sustainable harvest can be determined. Based on data through 2024 from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission sampling programs, the striped bass populations in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers are currently not self-sustaining. Evaluation of the harvest and gill net closures showed these measures were ineffective at increasing adult abundance, expanding the age structure, and promoting natural recruitment through year six of implementation. Factors other than fishing mortality are preventing sustainability of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers striped bass stocks. 

Although harvest is a critical component in affecting abundance of any fish population, environmental factors are likely preventing successful natural recruitment in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers. A recent review of N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission striped bass survey data showed that factors other than commercial and recreational fishing and inadequate numbers of spawning striped bass are preventing sustainability of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers striped bass populations. Natural mortality appears to be limiting adult abundance and without significant environmental changes, sustainability of striped bass populations in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers is unlikely and stocking must continue to maintain abundance.  

One factor that may be affecting successful natural recruitment is the right amount of water flow needed for development of fertilized eggs. Fertilized eggs need to drift downriver with the currents for about two days to hatch into larvae. If the egg sinks to the bottom, the chances of hatching are greatly reduced. Striped bass broodfish from the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers have been shown to produce small, heavy eggs and may require higher flow rates than what commonly occurs in these rivers to remain suspended in the water column because the rivers are so shallow. Low streamflow and shallow water in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers may lead to eggs contacting the bottom and dying, limiting striped bass spawning success to years when rainfall produces enough streamflow to keep eggs suspended.

The striped bass populations in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers are currently not self-sustaining and factors other than fishing mortality are preventing sustainability of the stocks. Consistent with the Amendment 2 goal and adaptive management framework, the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff developed a harvest management strategy that provides protection for and access to the resource, meaning allowing limited harvest. The harvest management strategy limits the timing and spatial extent of allowed harvest in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers to concentrate harvest on stocked fish while limiting harvest of Albemarle-Roanoke stock striped bass that occasionally occur in these rivers. Acoustic tagging data were reviewed to evaluate the timing and area of Albemarle-Roanoke and stocked striped bass residence in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers. Tag detections of wild Albemarle-Roanoke striped bass showed they are not frequently found in upriver areas of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers and that they return to the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River spawning grounds in April.  

The N.C. Division of Marine fisheries’ fishery-independent gill net survey is used to calculate annual indices of abundance for key estuarine species, including striped bass. The survey occurs over much of the habitat commonly utilized by striped bass and the abundance data provide a good signal of the overall population levels for striped bass in the rivers. Keep in mind this survey is used to calculate relative abundance; the survey is not designed to catch every single striped bass in the population or determine an absolute population number. While other areas certainly hold striped bass, the survey covers a range of habitats that reflect the relative abundance of the total population. Striped bass are a schooling fish and can be locally abundant in concentrated areas that provide structure (e.g., bridges) or areas with abundant bait. While it may appear there are a lot of striped bass in one area, the overall striped bass abundance can be low throughout their entire range. 

Production of viable eggs does occur; however, very few larval and juvenile striped bass have been collected and significant numbers of wild spawned fish do not appear in the populations. In 2017, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission conducted an egg and larval striped bass survey on the Neuse River and viable striped bass eggs were collected but only one larval striped bass was captured. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries juvenile striped bass seine survey in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers shows no significant signs of recruitment in eight years of sampling. Only two ‘wild’ striped bass juveniles have been caught in the Tar-Pamlico River (2021), and none have been caught in the Neuse River. The fact that viable eggs are produced, but very few larval and juvenile striped bass have been collected supports the idea that there is a bottleneck limiting recruitment between the egg and larval stages of development in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers.  

The 2004 Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan implemented gill net restrictions focused on reducing discard mortality in large mesh anchored gill net fisheries by requiring 3-foot vertical tie downs to limited net height and excluding nets within 50 yards from shore in parts of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers. These restrictions were chosen based on data indicating their effectiveness at reducing striped bass discards. For example, distribution data indicate that striped bass typically use habitats less than 50 yards from shore and are more abundant farther upstream in the rivers. Studies show the use of tie-downs reduced striped bass catch by 85-99% in water depths greater than three feet depending on season and that excluding nets greater than 50 yards from shore reduced striped bass catch by up to 60%. Subsequent analysis of onboard observer data estimated gill net discards were reduced by approximately 82% after gill net restrictions were implemented, highlighting their effectiveness in reducing the number of striped bass discards in the large mesh anchored gill net fishery in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers. The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries operates an onboard observer program for the anchored gill net fisheries that provides data on commercially harvested species and bycatch, including striped bass which can be used to adjust management measures if necessary.

Striped bass in Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River Management areas are a distinct naturally reproducing population. The 2022 stock assessmentfound the Albemarle-Roanoke population is considered overfished and overfishing is occurring. The 2024 Revision to Amendment 2implemented a harvest moratorium effective January 1, 2024, until the population improves to a level capable of supporting sustainable harvest. An additional concern is the eight consecutive years (2017–2024) of very poor A-R stock spawning success, which is in sharp contrast to high recruitment that occurred in the 1990s that led to stock recovery. 

The Tar-Pamlico and Neuse river populations are managed separately because they historically lacked natural recruitment and are heavily dependent on hatchery stocking. In 2025, analysis concluded that the striped bass populations in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers are not self-sustaining, so alternative management strategies that provide protection for and access to the resource, meaning allowing limited harvest, were developed by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Since the moratorium began, the division has implemented advanced genetic monitoring alongside environmental research to monitor the Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River striped bass stock. A key component of this effort is Parentage Based Tagging (PBT) analysis that is being used to determine the percentage of naturally spawned versus hatchery raised fish collected during sampling. Simultaneously, the division is investigating some of the possible causes for the declining population through ichthyoplankton surveys to evaluate larval fish abundance and zooplankton surveys to investigate the food larval fish need to grow. In addition, the division has conducted preliminary egg collections investigating egg abundance and the percentage of viable eggs on the spawning grounds. This is being conducted in conjunction with our long-term juvenile abundance surveys, which have been ongoing since 1955, and our independent gill net survey that monitors adult abundance. 

At this point it is a little too early to evaluate whether or not juvenile recruitment has improved since the moratorium. The division is seeing an increase in the number of juvenile fish in its sampling programs, but because stocking began in 2023, it will take additional time to determine whether the fish collected are naturally spawned or from hatchery stocking. This is where PBT analysis will be used to determine hatchery produced and wild spawned juveniles and adults.