The striped bass population has grown from 5,000 to 1M+, whereas a population of 30,000 is adequate to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Striped bass eat salmon smolts as they migrate to the ocean. The dramatic increase in the striped bass population has resulted in decreased survival rate of smolts, from 80 percent to 20 percent. With regards to the rise in striped bass populations affecting salmon, DFO has mismanaged the river ecosystem.
For further details, please see the attached links:
MSA – Recovery Strategy 2020
Ministers Report 2015
Predators cause salmon populations in Miramichi River to hit record low.