The striped bass is a non-native fish that plays an important role in the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) and watershed. Striped bass share many life-history adaptations with native fishes which allow persistence in predictably variable environments. The long-term decline of striped bass tracks the decline of other native estuarine fishes and has numerous interacting causes that have changed through time. The decline of juvenile striped bass in agency surveys of the mainstem is not reflected in Suisun Marsh, suggesting the marsh may be a refuge/nursery area.

This research explores:

• Existing studies and data sets from local and east-coast populations
• The importance of Suisun Marsh for striped bass and other fishes that are part of the Pelagic Organism Decline (POD)
• The effect of ocean-migrating females on population dynamics
• Actions that may improve the management of striped bass in the SFE