(Photo: AP)BALTIMORE (AP)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources says the number of young striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay has hit a record low.
State officials say the decline probably resulted from unfavorable weather during spawning season.
State biologists reported Tuesday that an annual survey found the fewest number of newly spawned striped bass since the tallies began 59 years ago.
Striped bass are also known as rockfish. They are Maryland's state fish. The species supports a multimillion-dollar recreational and commercial fishing industry that employs thousands. Their population has rebounded from near-collapse in the 1980s after a 5-year fishing moratorium.
The agency says striped bass are not being overfished, but some recreational fishing advocates say they are concerned about the report.
