Tagging Along: A Community Effort to Follow Our Striped Bass 

This fall, the Westport River Watershed Alliance is launching a new Striped Bass Tagging Program, designed to foster public engagement, curiosity, and conservation awareness of this vital species. The program offers an exciting way to explore the life of Striped Bass in our own backyard.

The Westport River is a seasonal home for one of New England’s most iconic and beloved fish: the Striped Bass. Each spring and summer, these strong, silvery swimmers pass through our waters—some stopping briefly on their coastal migration, others staying to feed or even linger year-round.

The idea for the program was developed through WRWA’s newly established the Fish Advisory Committee, a group formed in the wake of the successful second WRWA Fishing Invitational fundraiser. The committee brings together local anglers and professional guides to advise WRWA on river health, fishing practices, and stewardship initiatives. Their enthusiasm and deep connection to the river inspired this new tagging effort as a way to better understand and celebrate the fish they know so well.

A limited number of Striped Bass will be fitted with acoustic tags, which send out signals detected by receivers in the Westport River and along a coastal network that stretches from North Carolina to Canada. The data will give us a glimpse into where some of "our" fish go—how long they stay, and whether they return.                                  

A Tool for Awareness and Stewardship
Striped Bass populations have been under stress. For the past several years, reproduction in their primary spawning grounds—the Chesapeake Bay and Hudson River—has been alarmingly low. Meanwhile, fishing pressure and mortality from catch-and-release practices remain high. The result: a steady population decline. That’s why awareness, education, and responsible fishing practices are so important—and why WRWA hopes this program will inspire a new wave of stewardship along the Westport River.

How You Can Get Involved
WRWA invites individuals, families, classrooms, and organizations to “adopt” a Striped Bass by sponsoring a tag. A $400 donation covers the cost of tagging one fish and allows sponsors to follow that fish’s movements throughout the year. Whether you're a longtime fisherman or someone who loves the river, environment, and nature, it’s a unique way to connect with the story of this iconic species.

This project is, above all, about connection. It's a community effort to understand and protect a fish that means so much to this region.

Want to follow a Striper?
Contact WRWA at (508) 636-3016 to get information and stay tuned to our website for upcoming information about the Striped Bass Tagging Program and how you can get involved. 

“Striped Bass are a part of who we are here in Westport. This program gives us a new way to connect with the fish, the river, and each other—helping us to take better care of it all.”
— Chris Killenberg, Fishing Guide and Member, WRWA Fishing Advisory Committee