Strategy for Removing Impediments to Migratory Fishes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1988
- Published:
- December 1, 1988
- Originator:
- Chesapeake Bay Program
Of the 260 fish species that occur in the Chesapeake Bay, the most sought after by both sport and commercial fisherment are the migratory species. These include "anadromous" fishes, such as striped bass, river herring,s turgeon and American and hickory shad, that spend most of their adult lives in saltier coastal waters but return each year to spawn in freshwater, as well as semi-anadromous species such as white and yellow perch. The term anadromous is taken from the Greek wirds "ana" meaning upward, and "dromos", meaning running. Another class of migratory fish are the "catadromous" species, represented in the Bay watershed by the American eel. Catadromous fish spend most of their lives in freshwater, returniing to ocean waters to spawn. Together, anadromous and catadromous species are described as diadromous, or migratory betweem saltwater and freshwater.