The expansion of American aquaculture is critical to address the ~$17 billion seafood trade deficit that is caused in part by our importation of over 80% of seafood products. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is a prime candidate to help expand the United States aquaculture industry as it has been captively bred (domesticated) for decades. This effort was initiated in response to the wild population collapse in the 1980s and now supports the fourth largest aquaculture industry in America, hybrid striped bass, with striped bass gaining traction as a standalone industry. Breeding and domestication have resulted in better dress-out yield, improved growth rate, and greater stress tolerance in these seven-generation domesticated fish compared to earlier generations and their wild counterparts. The reduced time to reach market size is a key outcome that supports economic feasibility for producers, as striped bass can now reach market size (1.36 kg or 3 lbs.) in under two years and the eighth-generation captively bred fish are anticipated to require even less time.
Further, the use of exogenous hormones to induce captive spawning has been eliminated, and instead spawning behavior of domestic fish is prompted by modifying water salinity and temperature to mimic natural conditions. In addition to the qualities that make striped bass a commercial culture-ready candidate, these fish are a popular product among consumers with a slightly sweet flavor and firm texture once cooked. The presentation of these domestication efforts is in part to address challenges stemming from producer and consumer education with the ultimate goal of advancing aquaculture nationally.