The anadromous fish that is Maryland’s state fish and migrates between Atlantic salt water and fresh water is the striped bass.
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) normally spend their adult lives in salt water but travel into freshwater rivers to spawn. That pattern is called anadromy. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the species’ major breeding areas, and its rivers and tributaries help explain the fish’s deep connection with Maryland.
The species is native to the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from the St. Lawrence River south toward the Gulf of Mexico. It is also known by regional names including striper, linesider, rock and rockfish. Maryland’s state designation is not unique: striped bass is also the state fish of Rhode Island and South Carolina, while several other states designate it as a state saltwater fish.
A frequent misconception is that every striped bass must migrate to the ocean. Some populations became landlocked in reservoirs after dams blocked access to the sea. These fish can still move through freshwater systems and may reproduce in a few suitable rivers, although many stocked inland populations require continued management.