STriped Bass StockingNorth Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation
- Number of Fish Stocked Since 2023: 6M+
- Locations Stocked: Roanoke River, Albemarle Sound, & Cape Fear River
- Phases Stocked: Fry, Juveniles, & Sub-Adults
- Cost per Partnership: $10,000 paid annually
Overview
In 2023, the Foundation announced a three-year partnership with two state agencies to financially support the stocking of striped bass in the Albemarle Sound and Roanoke River. Since then, our restoration efforts have expanded to include federal partners and an additional stocking location in the Cape Fear River. This year, in 2026, the Foundation is pleased to provide financial assistance to stocking efforts in the Neuse and Tar rivers.
The Issue
In recent years, striped bass in the Albemarle Sound and Roanoke River have experienced low natural production, leading to a decline in female broodfish returning to spawn each spring. These recruitment failures have earned this fishery a “depleted” status. In 2024, for the first year ever, there was no striped bass harvest season in the Albemarle Sound, just as it has been in the Cape Fear River for over 15 years.
Our Solution
In response to recent recruitment failures and the lack of a harvest season, the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation teamed up with federal and state agencies to restore the striped bass populations in some of the most depleted areas. To kickstart recovery of these populations, they must first be replenished.
Here is the breakdown of striped bass stocked through our partnerships from 2023 to 2025:
2023
- 1.5 million Fry in the Roanoke River
- 650,000 Juveniles in the Albemarle Sound
2024
- 2.4 million Fry in the Roanoke River
- 427,176 Juveniles in the Albemarle Sound
- 170,000 Juveniles in the Cape Fear River
- 133,395 Sub-Adults in the Albemarle Sound
- 56,100 Sub-Adults in the Cape Fear River
2025
- 200,000 Fry in the Roanoke River
- 774,814 Juveniles in the Albemarle Sound
- 68, 726 Sub-Adults in the Albemarle Sound
Striped Bass
What's Next?
With more than 6 million striped bass stocked over three years, our Foundation enters a fourth year of stocking partnerships with state and federal agencies. This year, stocking will resume in the Neuse and Tar rivers while stocking will pause in the Roanoke River, Albemarle Sound, and Cape Fear River. With striped bass stockings occurring each year, it’s important to determine if they’re working. To answer that question, our Foundation also supports the genetic evaluation of stockings. This research helps assess survival rates, measure stocking success, and understand how hatchery fish interact with wild populations.
