Young rockfish numbers increased in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay tributaries this year, while a separate Maryland survey found reproduction remained below average in that state’s portion of the Bay.
Preliminary findings released Monday by William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science indicate Virginia produced an average-sized class of juvenile rockfish in 2026. The fish hatched this spring are expected to reach fishable sizes in three to four years.
The Virginia survey recorded an average of 9.52 fish per net haul, up from 5.12 in 2025. Researchers said both years fall within the range considered similar to the historical average of 7.77 fish per haul…