Fish Habitat Action Team Publications
Striped Bass Survey Assessment and Habitat Connections
Publication date:The STAC Workshop, "Striped Bass Survey Assessment and Habitat Connections," convened February 2025 to investigate the environmental and ecological factors contributing to the low recruitment of striped bass. The workshop aimed to review current survey approaches and identify priority science needs, supporting the management of this marquee sportfish, which is vital to both the recreational fishing industry and commercial harvest along the Atlantic Coast. The workshop focused on exploring research needs, sharing insights and fostering collaboration among participants to support effective management strategies.
View document [PDF, 1.3 MB] Striped Bass Survey Assessment and Habitat Connections
Pilot Framework for Fish Habitat Assessments Across Tidal and Non-Tidal Waters in the Patuxent River Basin
Publication date:This report presents methods for a pilot assessment of the condition of fish habitats in both the estuarine and inland portions of Chesapeake Bay rivers.
Forage Status and Trends Report for the Chesapeake Bay
Publication date:This report is a culmination of close to a decade of research to assess whether the status of forage species found in the Chesapeake Bay can support key predator populations.
View document [PDF, 14.1 MB] Forage Status and Trends Report for the Chesapeake Bay
Recommendations for Conducting Fish Habitat Assessments in Tidal Waters of the Chesapeake Bay
Publication date:This report summarizes expert feedback on the potential structure of a pilot framework for fish habitat assessment.
Forage Fish Habitat Suitability Model Report
Publication date:This report is the result of efforts to quantify the extent of suitable habitats for four key forage fishes in the Chesapeake Bay.
View document [PDF, 4.4 MB] Forage Fish Habitat Suitability Model Report
Threshold Effects of Altered Shorelines and Other Stressors on Forage Species in the Chesapeake Bay
Publication date:This report summarizes efforts to synthesize shoreline impacts on forage species and propose a threshold for shoreline hardening.
Inventory & Evaluation of Environmental and Biological Response Data for Fish Habitat Assessment
Publication date:The final report for a GIT-funded study compiling and evaluating available data for a Chesapeake Bay regional fish habitat assessment.
Factors Influencing the Headwaters, Nontidal, Tidal and Mainstem Fish Habitat Function
Publication date:This report summarizes the proceedings of a workshop to identify the necessary information and analytical approaches needed to assess the condition and vulnerability of fish habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Environmental, Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Chesapeake Bay Forage Populations
Publication date:This study evaluated environmental, temporal and spatial patterns of forage taxa and predator consumption in the Chesapeake Bay.
Inventory of Fish Habitat Spatial Data Tools
Publication date:A list of fish habitat-related datasets, maps and tools.
View document [PDF, 152.3 KB] Inventory of Fish Habitat Spatial Data Tools
Climate Change and Fisheries Research Bibliography
Publication date:A compilation of fisheries-based climate research and tools compiled by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office.
View document [PDF, 145.1 KB] Climate Change and Fisheries Research Bibliography
Forage Indicators and Consumption Profiles for Chesapeake Bay Fishes
Publication date:This report summarizes efforts to develop a suite of indicators for forage groups and to quantify the magnitude of prey consumed by six predator fishes in the Chesapeake Bay.
View document [PDF, 2.0 MB] Forage Indicators and Consumption Profiles for Chesapeake Bay Fishes
Cownose Rays in the Chesapeake Bay: What do we know?
Publication date:This report summarizes the research, discussion and recommendations from an October 2015 workshop on cownose rays in the Chesapeake Bay.
View document [PDF, 706.0 KB] Cownose Rays in the Chesapeake Bay: What do we know?
Fish Habitat Literature Review and Matrices
Publication date:This report includes information about habitat requirements, functions and threats for more than a dozen species.
View document [PDF, 763.5 KB] Fish Habitat Literature Review and Matrices
Assessing the Chesapeake Bay Forage Base: Existing Data and Research Priorities
Publication date:This report summarizes the proceedings of a workshop to address uncertainties around forage species and to recommend feasible approaches to improve our collective understanding of the Chesapeake Bay's forage base.