NOAA Technical Report NMFS 60 December 1987

Gulf Menhaden,

Brevoortia patronus ,

Purse Seine Fishery, 1974-85,

with a Brief Discussion of

Age and Size Composition

of the Landings

Joseph W. Smith

Eldon J. Levi

Douglas S. Vaughan

Ethel A. Hall

u.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA TECHNICAL REPORT NMFS

The major responsibilities of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are to monitor and assess the abundance and geographic distribution of fishery resources, to

understand and predict fluctuations in the quantity and distribution of these resources, and to establish levels for their optimum use. NMFS is also charged with the development

and implementation of policies for managing national fishing grounds, development and enforcement of domestic fisheries regulations, surveillance of foreign fishing off United

States coastal waters, and the development and enforcement of international fishery agreements and policies. NMFS also assists the fishing industry through marketing service

and economic analysis programs, and mortgage insurance and vessel construction subsidies. It collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on various phases of the industry.

The NOAA Technical Report NMFS series was established in 1983 to replace two subcategories of the Technical Reports series: "Special Scientific Report-Fisheries" and

"Circular." The series contains the following types of reports: Scientific investigations that document long-tenn continuing programs of NMFS; intensive scientific reports on

studies of restricted scope; papers on applied fishery problems; technical reports of general interest intended to aid conservation and management; reports that review in considerable detail and at a high technical level certain broad areas of research; and technical papers originating in economics studies and from management investigations. Since

this is a fonnal series, all submitted papers receive peer review and those accepted receive professional editing before publication.

Copies of NOAA Technical Reports NMFS are available free in limited numbers to governmental agencies, both Federal and State. They are also available in exchange for

other scientific and technical publications in the marine sciences. Individual copies may be obtained from: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Infonnation Service,

5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Although the contents have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted entirely, reterence to source is appreciated.

13. Guidelines for reducing porpoise mortality in tuna purse seining, by James M.

Coe, David B. Holts, and Richard W. Butler. September 1984, 16 p.

14. Synopsis of biological data on shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum

LeSueur 1818, by Michael J. Dadswell, Bruce D. Taubert, Thomas S. Squiers, Donald

Marchette, and Jack Buckley. October 1984, 45 p.

15. Chaetognatha of the Caribbean sea and adjacent areas, by Harding B. Michel.

October 1984, 33 p.

16. Proceedings of the Ninth and Tenth U.S.-Japan Meetings on Aquaculture, by

Carl J. Sindermann (editor). November 1984, 92 p.

17. Identification and estimation of size from the beaks of 18 species of cephalopods

from the Pacific Ocean, by Gary A. Wolff. November 1984, 50 p.

18. A temporal and spatial study of invertebrate communities associated with hardbottom habitats in the South Atlantic Bight, by E. L. Wenner, P. Hinde, D. M. Knott,

and R. F. Van Dolah. November 1984, 104 p.

19. Synopsis of biological data on spottail pinfish, Diplodus holbrooki (Pisces:

Sparidae), by George H. Darcy. January 1985, II p.

20. Ichthyoplankton of the Continental Shelf near Kodiak Island, Alaska, by Arthur

W. Kendall, Jr., and Jean R. Dunn. January 1985, 89 p.

21. Annotated bibliography on hypoxia and its effects on marine life, with emphasis

on the Gulf of Mexico, by Maurice L. Renaud. February 1985, 9 p.

22. Congrid eels of the eastern Pacific and key to their Leptocephali, by Solomon

N. Raju. February 1985, 19 p.

23. Synopsis of biological data on the pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides (Pisces:Sparidae),

by George H. Darcy. February 1985, 32 p.

24. Temperature conditions in the cold pool 1977-81: A comparison between southern

New England and New York transects, by Steven K. Cook. February 1985,22 p.

25. Parasitology and pathology of marine organisms of the world ocean, by William

J. Hargis, Jr. (editor). March 1985, 135 p.

26. Synopsis of biological data on the sand perch, Diplectrum formosum (Pisces:

Serranidae), by George H. Darcy. March 1985,21 p.

27. Proceedings of the Eleventh U.S.-Japan Meeting on Aquaculture, Salmon

Enhancement, Tokyo, Japan, October 19-20, 1982, by Carl J. Sindermann (editor).

March 1985, 102 p.

28. Review of geographical stocks oftropical dolphins (Stenella spp. and Delphinus

delphis) in the eastern Pacific, by William F. Perrin, Michael D. Scott, G. Jay Walker,

and Virginia L. Casso March 1985, 28 p.

29. Prevalence, intensity, longevity, and persistence of Anisakis sp. larvae and Lacistorhynchus tenuis metacestodes in San Francisco striped bass, by Mike Moser, Judy

A. Sakanari, Carol A. Reilly, and Jeannette Whipple. April 1985, 4 p.

30. Synopsis of biological data on the pink shrimp, Pandalus borealis Kr6yer, 1838,

by Sandra E. Shumway, HerbertC. Perkins, Daniel F. Schick, and Alden P. Stickney.

May 1985, 57 p.

31. Shark catches from selected fisheries offthe U.S. east coast, by Emory D. Anderson, John G. Casey, John J. Hoey, and W. N. Witzell. July 1985,22 p.

32. Nutrient Distributions for Georges Bank and adjacent waters in 1979, by A. F.

J. Draxler, A. Matte, R. Waldhauer, and J. E. O'Reilly. July 1985, 34 p.

33. Marine flora and fauna of the Northeastern United States. Echinodennata:

Echinoidea, by D. Keith Serafy and F. Julian Fell. September 1985,27 p.

34. Additions to a revision of the shark genus Carcharhinus: Synonymy of Aprionodan and Hypoprion, and description of a new species of Carcharhinus (Carcharhinidae),

by J. A. F. Garrick. November 1985, 26 p.

35. Synoptic review of the literature on the Southern oyster drill Thais haemasto1lla

floridana, by Philip A. Butler. November 1985,9 p.

36. An egg production method for estimating spawning biomass of pelagic fish:

Application to the northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, by Reuben Lasker (editor).

December 1985, 99 p.

37. A histopathologic evaluation of gross lesions excised from commercially important North Atlantic marine fishes, by Robert A. Murchelano, Linda Despres-Patanjo,

and John Ziskowski. March 1986, 14 p.

38. Fishery atlas of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. by Richard N. Uchida and

James H. Uchiyama (editors). September 1986, 142 p.

39. Survey of fish protective facilities at water withdrawal sites on the Snake and

Columbia Rivers, by George A. Swan, Tommy G. Withrow, and Donn L. Park. April

1986, 34 p.

40. Potential impact of ocean thennal energy conversion (OTEC) on fisheries, by

Edward P. Myers, Donald E. Hoss, Walter M. Matsumoto. David S. Peters, Michael

P. Seki, Richard N. Uchida, John D. Ditmars, and Robert A. Paddock. June 1986,

33 p.

41. A stationary visual census technique for quantitatively assessing community structure of coral reef fishes, by James A. Bohnsack and Scott P. Bannerol. July 1986, 15 p.

42. Effects of temperature on the biology ofthe northern shrimp, Pandalus borealis,

in the Gulf of Maine, by Spencer Apollonio, David K. Stevenson, and Earl E. Dunton,

Jr. September 1986, 22 p.

43. Environment and resources of seamounts in the North Pacific, by Richard N.

Uchida, Sigeiti Hayasi, and George W. Boehlert (editors). September 1986, 105 p.

44. Synopsis of biological data on the porgies, Calamus arctifrons and C. proridens

(Pisces: Sparidae), by George H. Darcy. September 1986, 19 p.

45. Meristic variation in Sebastes (Scorpaenidae), with an analysis of character association and bilateral pattern and their significance in species separation, by Lo-chai Chen.

September 1986, 17 p.

46. Distribution and relative abundance of pelagic nonsalmonid nekton off Oregon

and Washington 1979-84, by Richard D. Brodeur and William G. Pearcy. December

1986, 85 p.
NOAA Technical Report NMFS 60

Gulf Menhaden,

Brevoortia patronus,

Purse Seine Fishery, 1974-85,

with a Brief Discussion of

Age and Size Composition

of the Landings

Joseph W. Smith

Eldon J. Levi

Douglas S. Vaughan

Ethel A. Hall

December 1987

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

C. William Verity, Jr., Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Anthony J. Calia, Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

William E. Evans, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, recommend

or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned in this

publication. No reference shall be made to NMFS, or to this publication furnished

by NMFS, in any advertising or sales promotion which would indicate or imply

that NMFS approves, recommends or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to cause

directly or indirectly the advertised product to be used or purchased because of

this NMFS publication.

11
CONTENTS

Introduction I

Changes in the fishery 2

Number of reduction plants 2

Number of vessels 2

Total landings 2

Effort and CPUE 3

Age and size composition of the landings 4

Conclusions 5

Acknowledgments 7

Citations 7

Appendices

1. Quarterly time increments used in stock assessment

analyses for gulf menhaden 7

2. Estimated numbers of gulf menhaden landed by purse

seine vessels by year, quarter, and age, 1964-85 8

111

Gulf Menhaden,

Brevoortia patronus ,

Purse Seine Fishery,

1974-85, with a Brief

Discussion of Age and

Size Composition of the

Landings

JOSEPH W, SMITH

ELDON J, LEVI

DOUGLASS, VAUGHAN

ETHEL A. HALL

Beauforl Laboratory

Southeast Fisheries Center

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Beaufort. North Carolina 28516-9722

ABSTRACT

Routine biostatistical port sampling data and landings records collected from the

gulf menhaden purse seine fishery between 1974 and 1985 are updated. During

most of the period, a total of II menhaden reduction plants operated in Mississippi and Louisiana, and the number of vessels in the purse seine Ileel varied

from 71to 82. Total annual landings ranged from 447,100 metric tons in 1977 to

the record landings for the fishery of 982,800 metric tons in 1984. Age-I and -2

gulf menhaden annually comprised almost 96% of the landings. Estimated total

numbers of menhaden landed varied from 4,510.5 million in 1975 to 11,154.9

million in 1985. Annual mean lengths and weights ofsampled fish-at-age showed

lillie variation. Nominal or observed fishing effort gradually increased through

Ihe 1970s and 1980s, reaching 655,800 vessel-ton-weeks in 1983.

Introduction _

The purse seine fishery for gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus ,

in the Gulf of Mexico dates from the late 1800s, although annual

landings prior to World War II were sporatic and generally less

than 10,000 metric tons (mt) (Nicholson 1978). After World War

II the demand for fish meal increased due to growth of the poultry

industry and the fishery underwent rapid expansion and modernization. By 1969 over 500,000 mt of fish were landed (Nicholson

1978). The fishery continues to dominate U.S. fisheries production, annually averaging 27% by volume of the total U.S. fisheries

landings between 1974 and 1985 (Table I). Chief products marketed by the gulf menhaden industry are fish meal and fish solubles, used as supplements in poultry feed, and fish oil, primarily

used as a refined edible oil in Europe and Canada.

Gulf menhaden are exploited in near-coastal waters from western Florida to eastern Texas, although reduction plants are

presently located only in Mississippi and Louisiana (Fig. I). Two

congeneric species of menhaden also occur in the Gulf of Mexico,

the yellowfin menhaden, B. smithi, and the finescale menhaden,

B. gunteri, although they comprise less than I% of the menhaden

landed (Nicholson 1978).

In 1964 the Beaufort Laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries Service (formerly the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries until

1970) began compiling biostatistical and catch and effort data for

the gulf menhaden fishery. This work was fostered by concern that

gulf menhaden might succumb to overfishing and catches decline,

as had occurred in the Atlantic menhaden fishery during the 1960s.

By the early 1970s biological data suggested that the gulf menhaden resource was almost fully exploited and that the time had

arrived for state, federal, and industry representatives to outline

possible management strategies (Chapoton 1972). In 1977 the five

Gulf states voted in favor of a cooperative management system for

gulf menhaden under the auspices of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (Christmas and Etzold 1977). Under this compact, management authority is vested in the states, and some regulations such as vessel licensing, restricted or closed fishing areas,

and allowable bycatch are regulated on a state-specific basis.

Through this cooperative agreement, the 26-week fishing season,

from the third Monday in April through the Friday following the

second Tuesday in October, became uniform throughout the Gulf

Table 1

Percent contribution of gulf menhaden landin~s to total U.S. fisheries

landings, 1974-85.

Total U.S. Gulf menhauen Percent contribution of

fisheries landings landings gulf menhaden landings

Year (109 Ibs) (109 Ibs) to U.S. total landings

1974 4.9 1.3 27

1975 4.8 1.2 25

1976 5.4 1.2 22

1977 5.2 1.0 19

1978 6.1 18 30

1979 6.3 1.7 27

1980 65 1.6 25

1981 6.0 1.2 20

1982 6.4 19 30

1983 6.4 2.0 31

1984 6.4 2.2 34

1985 6.3 2.0 32

12-yr mean 5.9 1.6 27

Data sources: U.S. Department of Commerce. 1975-86.
98°

30°

28°

TEXAS

92°

LOUISIANA

Intracoastal

\ City

Cameron

GULF OF MEXICO

FLORIDA

26°"-~-.· 98"." _loIOoI._-~T"-""'--*o:--"'-~fto:r--",-""",:~:-.....r.--"""'I~:-""--~,:,:,-""--~:":,,,_""'_--I.26° 1.° 12"

Figure 1

Location of reduction plants for the gulf menhaden purse seine fishery, 1974·85.

states. No state limits catch or fishing effort of vessels. This regional management plan was revised in 1983 (Christmas et al.

1983).

Nicholson (1978) summarized information on the evolution of

the modem gulf menhaden fishery up to 1973, described sampling

and estimation procedures for numbers of fish-at-age, discussed

,ize and age composition of the landings, and described trends in

catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from 1964 to 1973. The purposes of

this paper are to update routine biostatistical and catch and fishing

effort data collected from the gulf menhaden purse seine fishery

during 1974-85, to document changes in the fishery, and to discuss

age and size composition of the landings.

Changes in the Fishery _

Number of reduction plants

During the early 1950s menhaden reduction facilities operated in

all Gulf slates except Alabama (Nicholson 1978). Since then, the

trend in the industry has been toward more efficient plants with

greater reduction capacity. By 1972 menhaden processing on the

Gulf coast was located entirely within coastal Louisiana and Mis·

sissippi, with landings in Louisiana predominating. Over the period 1975-83 the number of plants stabilized at II (Table 2), with

five companies operating eight facilities in Louisiana and three in

Mississippi.

In early 1984 one of the largest menhaden meal companies

purchased its closest competitor, thus combining the two largest

menhaden companies on the Gulf coast. After the purchase, the

resulting company controlled seven of the II active Gulf plants and

53 of the 81 vessels in the Gulf fleet. Almost immediately, the

company sought to consolidate its acquisitions and closed one of

its plants at Moss Point, MS, in May 1984; several vessels were

also deactivated, while others were reassigned to alternate plants.

Consolidation continued into 1985, as the company closed two

additional plants at Morgan City and Cameron, LA.

Also during 1985, economic factors forced the temporary closure of an additional independent plant at Empire, LA, the imposi2

tion of weekly quotas on the total catch of most vessels, and the

termination of fishing operations for some vessels and plants in

September or October, prior to the official season closure in midOctober. Thus, during 1985 only seven plants were active, representing three companies.

Number of vessels

As documented by Nicholson (1978), the gulf menhaden purse

seine fleet increased rapidly through the 1950s, peaked in 1965 at

82 vessels, then fluctuated between 65 and 82 vessels from 1966

to 1974 (Table 2). Between 1975 and 1984 the number of vessels

in the fleet varied between 78 and 82. Following the corporate

consolidation in 1984, the number of active vessels declined to 73

in 1985.

The industry's trend toward larger, faster vessels with greater

carrying capacities (Nicholson 1978) continued into the 1980s.

Vessels with a carrying capacity of over 200 net tons first appeared

in the fishery in 1955, and by 1973 they comprised 78% (51 of 65)

of the fleet (Nicholson 1978; Table 2). By 1985,92% (67 of 73)

of the vessels in the fleet held more than 200 net tons, with 57%

(38 of 67) of these vessels carrying over 300 net tons and four

vessels carrying over 400 net tons.

Total landings

Offloadings records for individual vessels were usually acquired

monthly during the fishing season from confidential company

sources. Landings in metric tons are reported by state (Table 3),

except for 1974 and 1985 when only two companies operated in

Mississippi; for these years landings from Mississippi and Louisiana were combined to protect confidential data.

Larger, faster, more efficient vessels and improved fishing technologies were primarily responsible for improved landings of gulf

menhaden through the 1960s and early 1970s (Nicholson 1978).

Greatest landings of the period were 728,200 mt in 1971 which

surpassed record landings of 712, 100 mt for the Atlantic menhaden

fishery in 1956. Between 1974 and 1981 gulf menhaden landings
Table 2

Number of active plants and vessels by size in the gulf

menhaden purse seine fishery, 1945-85.

Table 3

Gulf menhaden purse seine landings (103 metric tons) by

state, 1945-85.

Number of vesselsI Year Florida Mississippi Louisiana Texas T0ta1

INumber of vessels landing menhaden at least one day in

each of nine or more weeks. 1945-73. Number of vessels

landing menhaden at least one day. 1974-85.

11945-73 data from Nicholson (1978).

.'1974-82 data from ChapOlon in Christmas et al. (1983).

s75 76-200 >200 Total

- - - - - - - - - net tons - - - - - - - - - -

Effort and CPUE

IRecords not available.

21945·73 data from Nicholson (1978)

3Landings from two states combined to protect confidential data.

29.2

(II

III

102.9

135.5

147.2

154.8

228.7

196.5

181.2

215.0

244.8

159.9

201.5

335.3

380.7

459.5

480.7

437.8

409.4

463.1

359.1

317.3

373.5

523.7

548.1

728.2

501.7

486.1

587.4

542.6

561.2

447.1

820.0

777.9

701.3

552.6

853.9

9235

982.8

881.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

12.7

19.0

21.2

132

24.0

30.3

23.4

23.0

29.9

26.1

31.3

55.9

656

60.7

471

35.8

30.2

28.1

17.6

10.4

23.2

33.2

19.5

28.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

8.9

24.0

40.0

75.2

94.3

96.7

129.2

142.1

121.8

135.1

144.6

74.5

109.5

191.5

213.2

260.2

314.1

288.4

271.4

308.6

252.0

231.4

282.2

388.3

435.2

560.9

420.9

405.7

3

446.4

479.5

343.2

684.4

633.5

582.4

464.8

711.0

758.0

7966

881

26.0

tl)

10.1

34.8

30.1

31.1

43.4

70.7

22.1

36.0

56.0

70.3

59.3

56.1

79.7

99.1

136.7

119.5

113.6

107.8

126.4

86.4

75.5

67.8

102.2

93.4

138.8

80.8

80.4

587.4

96.2

81.7

103.9

135.6

144.4

118.9

87.8

142.9

165.5

186.2

32

(II

tl)

15.4

11.2

0.6

1.5

4.8

2.0

0.0

0.9

0.0

0.0

4.6

8.2

28

1.9

00

0.0

0.0

0.0

31

U.U

03

0.0

O.U

0.0

00

U.O

0.0

00

0.0

00

0.0

00

0.0

0.0

0.0

00

0.0

0.0

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1959

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

t967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

19732

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

10

14

30

39

53

65

68

64

70

72

72

81

73

77

73

75

69

74

73

76

82

80

76

69

72

73

82

75

65

71

78

82

80

80

78

79

80

82

81

81

73

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

2

4

6

9

II

11

11

14

15

18

30

37

43

41

43

45

52

53

51

57

64

68

69

69

70

72

74

75

74

74

67

o

I

9

12

17

23

26

23

24

32

31

39

35

48

44

52

52

54

53

53

48

42

32

26

27

26

29

22

14

14

14

14

II

II

8

7

6

7

7

7

6

10

13

21

27

36

42

42

41

46

40

39

38

32

20

18

12

6

6

5

5

4

I

I

2

2

2

I

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Number of

Year active plants

1945 2

1946 3

1947 4

1949 5

1949 7

1950 10

1951 10

1952 10

1953 10

1954 9

1955 9

1956 10

1957 10

1958 10

1959 II

1960 10

1961 10

1962 12

1963 11

1964 II

1965 13

1966 13

1967 13

1968 14

1969 13

1970 13

1971 13

1972 II

19732 10

1974 10

1975 II

1976 II

1977 II

1978 II

1979 II

1980 II

1981 II

19823 II

1983 11

1984 II

1985 7

fluctuated between 447,100 and 820,000 mt (Table 3). Beginning

in 1982, record landings were established for three consecutive

years, culminating with 982,800 mt in 1984. Had it not been for

poor economic conditions, landings in 1985 might have rivaled the

record landings of the previous year. During April and May 1985,

landings outpaced respective monthly landings for the previous

two years. By June 1985, however, most companies implemented

restrictive vessel catch quotas due to prevailing economic conditions, and landings declined significantly.

Since the early 1950s, landings in Louisiana have dominated

total gulf menhaden landings (Table 3), and between 1964 to 1973

annual landings in Louisiana averaged 74% of the Gulf's menhaden production. Between 1975 and 1984 1 annual landings in

Louisiana averaged 82% of the total gulf menhaden landings.

The unit of nominal fishing effort used for the gulf menhaden purse

seine fishery is the vessel-ton-week. Seasonal nominal fishing

effort by vessel is the product of the vessel's net registered tonnage

multiplied by the number of weeks that the vessel fished (landed

fish at least one day in the week) (Christmas et at. 1983). Since,

on average, large vessels in the gulf menhaden fleet catch more

fish than small vessels, the vessel-ton-week explains some of the

differences in efficiency within the gulf menhaden fleet, more so

than the vessel-week unit used for the Atlantic menhaden fleet

(Schaaf et at. 1975). Catch-per-unit effort is recorded in metric

tons per vessel-ton-week.

(Gulf menhaden landings by individual states for 1974 and 1985 are combined to

protect landings confidentiality. as only two plants operated in Mississippi during

those years.

3
Nominal effort in the gulf menhaden purse seine fishery gradually increased through the 1970s and 1980s to about 650,000

vessel-ton-weeks (Table 4). CPUE values show peaks in the range

of 1.45 to 1.60 mt/vessel-ton-week during 1964, 1971, 1979, and

1985, with modest declines during intervening years (Table 4). In

the short term, i.e., adjacent years, CPUE values may tend to

reflect gulf menhaden abundance. However, factors such as increased vessel efficiencies, increased plant efficiencies and capacities, and company-imposed quotas (1985 fishing season) do not

enter into CPUE computations; thus in the long term, CPUE values

are not an accurate indicator of gulf menhaden abundance.

Age and Size Composition of Landings _

As outlined in Nicholson (1978), landings of gulf menhaden were

sampled by procedures and techniques originally developed for

sampling Atlantic menhaden (June and Reintjes 1960). Vessels

were randomly sampled and fish were collected in a bucket from

the top of the hold, which came from the vessel's final set. Beginning in 1974, 10 fish (compared with 20 fish prior to 1974) were

randomly chosen from the bucket and each measured for fork

length (mm), weighed (g), and scales removed for ageing (specimens were not sexed after 1973). Between 1974 and 1985 the

number of lO-fish samples acquired per plant through a fishing

season ranged from 17 to 336 (Table 5). During the same period,

the total number of lO-fish samples collected at all plants over an

entire fishing season ranged from 955 to 1,598.

Estimates of the number of fish landed by age were made following procedures described in Nicholson (1978). Fish age-4 and

older were pooled because the method of ageing fish older than

age-4 is assumed to be unreliable (Nicholson and Schaaf 1978).

Historic port sampling data for size and age composition were

reexamined for errors using recently developed computer programs

for editing data. Corrections were made to the data set where

appropriate. Our estimated numbers of fish-at-age for 1964-79

may differ with earlier reports (Nicholson 1978; Christmas et al.

1983; Nelson and Ahrenholz 1986) because of corrections in the

biostatistical database. Modifications in estimated numbers of fish

are slight and do not significantly differ from previously published

values. Because gulf menhaden are believed to comprise a single

Table 4

Total landings (103 metric tons), nominal fishing

effort (in thousands of vessel-ton-weeks), and

CPUEs for the gulf menhaden purse seine

fishery, 1964-85.

TOlal Nominal

landings fishing effort (103 CPUE(mtJ

Year (IOJ mt) vessel-tan-weeks) vessel-Ion-week)

1964 409A 272.9 1.50

1965 463.1 335.6 138

1966 359.1 381.3 094

1967 317.3 4047 0.78

1968 373.5 382.3 0.98

1969 523.7 411.0 1.27

1970 548.1 400.0 137

1971 728.2 472.9 1.54

1972 501.7 447.5 1.12

1973 486.1 4262 1.14

1974 587A 485.5 1.21

1975 542.6 538.0 1.01

1976 561.2 575.8 0.97

1977 447.1 532.7 0.84

1978 820.0 574.3 1.43

1979 777.9 533.9 IA6

1980 701.3 627.6 1.12

1981 552.6 623.0 089

1982 853.9 653.8 131

1983 923.5 6558 IAI

1984 982.8 645.9 1.52

1985 881.1 5606 1.57

genetic stock (Christmas et al. 1983), we present estimated numbers of fish-at-age caught coastwide (Appendix Tables I and 2),

rather than dividing the estimates into eastern, central, and western

fishing grounds as did Nicholson (1978).

Gulf menhaden are aged by counting annual rings on scales.

About 12,200 specimens were examined annually between 1974

and 1985. Estimated numbers of gulf menhaden by age landed in

the purse seine fishery for 1964-85 are shown in Table 6. Noteworthy is the paucity of age-O fish in the landings after 1975. An

explanation for this is tied to the work of Nicholson and Schaaf

(1978), who found that a portion of the fish examined during each

sampling year failed to have deposited an annual ring at the end of

the first or second year of growth. Although somewhat subjective,

they assigned ages to these fish based on fish length at capture,

Table 5

Number of IO-fish samples gathered from gUlf menhaden landings by plant location, 1974-85.

Plant

location 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Moss Pt., MS (I) 49 102 109 149 106 54 99 127 107 0(2) (I)

(3 plants) 152 71 195 171 164 117 80 95 158 115 224 223

169 70 124 121 91 71 40 68 93 73 194 254

Empire. LA 131 117 125 188 161 143 122 129 149 201 181 231

(2 planls) 122 132 118 221 131 90 117 117 107 135 96 (I)

Dulac. LA 80 110 84 72 93 173 106 76 88 133 209 198

Morgan City, LA 24 70 61 63 61 69 81 77 64 109 104 (I)

Intracoastal City. LA 74 114 132 156 161 148 134 153 214 211 336 217

Cameron. LA 93 81 145 144 76 83 108 56 20 169 79 (I)

(3 plants) 123 88 153 132 101 84 104 105 31 127 98 50

68 53 116 117 III 79 66 66 17 107 77 151

TOlal 1,036 955 1.355 1,494 1,299 1,163 1.012 1.041 1.068 1,487 1,598 1.324

IPlanl did nol operale.

2Plant operated only one month.

4
Table 6

Estimated numbers (106) of gUlf menhaden by age landed an·

nually, 1964-85, by purse seine vessels.

Age (yr)

Year 0 I 2 3 4+ Total

1964 2.76 3.329.28 1.495.15 118.07 4.35 4,949.61

1965 43.43 5,031.39 1.076.63 80.27 0.70 6.232.41

1966 30.45 3.314.42 865.16 33.76 0.26 4.244.05

1967 22.44 4.267.65 33766 1300 0.00 4,640.74

1968 65.06 3.475.23 1.001.30 37.45 0.50 4.579.55

1969 2080 6.075.00 1.286.34 31.66 0.00 7.413.81

1970 5019 3.279.85 2.279.98 36.08 000 5,646.10

1971 21.59 5,761.13 1,955.45 181.84 4.12 7,924.12

1972 19.11 3.047.74 1,73353 88.54 4.03 4,892.95

1973 49.90 3.033.00 1.10698 9962 1.27 4,290.77

1974 1.41 3,846.75 1.471.65 59.08 0.00 5,378.89

1975 108.77 2.440.51 1.499.21 461.83 0.19 4,510.51

19761 0.00 4,591.39 1,37394 203.92 0.00 6,169.25

1977 0.00 4,659.95 1,331.72 110.37 5.63 6,107.66

1978 0.00 6,787.44 2,74201 52.67 5.24 9,587.37

1979 0.00 4,701.22 2,877.16 337.20 6.81 7,922.39

1980 65.86 3.409.41 3.261.11 43615 47.86 7,220.39

1981 0.00 5,750.53 1.424.94 329.40 34.22 7,539.08

1982 000 5,146.74 3,301.96 503.54 62.26 9,014.50

1983 000 4.685.73 3.809.23 382.61 25.10 8,902.67

1984 0.00 7.749.55 2.881.49 438.36 49.75 11,119.14

1985 000 8,127.64 2.723.64 283.04 2058 11,154.90

ISince 1976. most specimens -135 mm FL with no scale rings have

been designated age-I fish instead of age-O (see text).

lime of capture, and ring location on scales. Additionally, they

found that a small number of gulf menhaden, -115-135 mm fork

length, which appear in the landings during August to October

show no rings on their scales. They thought these fish were age-O,

but they were not certain "because many of the fish in this size

range of age I fish also have no scale rings". During 1964-75 some

of these fish were categorized as age-O. Since 1976 we have generally designated these fish as age-I. One reason for this change

was the work of Ahrenholz (Beaufort Lab., Southeast Fish. Cent.,

Beaufort, NC 28516, unpubl. data) who found that young-of-theyear gulf menhaden (age-O) tagged during September and October

had not been taken by the fishery during the year of tagging, rather

they were readily recaptured during their second and third summers

as age-I and -2 fish, respectively (see Ahrenholz 1981 for a description of juvenile tagging methodologies and project results).

Therefore, we believe very few age-O gulf menhaden are harvested

by the fishery. Since 1976 we have generally designated these

problematic fish as age-I, and annually the specimens in question

averaged less than I% of the fish sampled.

Between 1974 and 1985 annual estimates of numbers of gulf

menhaden landed ranged from 4,510.5 million in 1975 to 11,154.0

million in 1985 (Table 6). Although record landings of982,800 mt

for the gulf menhaden fishery occurred in 1984, we estimate that

slightly more fish were taken in 1985 when 881, 100 mt were

landed. Combined age-I and -2 gulf menhaden annually averaged

almost 96% of landings for the period 1974-85; age-3 fish averaged

4%, and combined ages-O and -4+ averaged less than 1%. Age-I

fish annually contributed between 47 and 76% of the total numbers

of fish landed, while age-2 fish contributed 19 to 45%.

Although nominal fishing effort has generally increased (Table

4), the exceptionally large year-classes recruited to the fishery

since the late 1970's have resulted in a decline in effective fishing

5

effort (proportional to population fishing mortality rate, F)

(Vaughan 1987). Greater numbers of fish age-4 and older (Table

6) indicate greater survival to these older ages.

Our observations on annual mean length and weight of gulf

menhaden in purse seine landings are commensurate with those of

Nicholson (1978) who reported that little variation occurred annually in the length range or mean length. Between 1974 and 1985

annual mean lengths ranged from 147 to 165 mm for age-I fish,

177 to 199 mm for age-2 fish, and 201 to 220 mm for age-3 fish

(Table 7). Likewise, annual mean weights showed little variation:

age-I fish ranged from 62 to 98 g, age-2 fish from 113 to 164 g,

and age-3 fish from 165 to 216 g (Table 8).

Conclusions _

Through 1975-83 the gulf menhaden purse seine fishery remained

relatively stable with II reduction plants in operation and concentrated in two Gulf states: eight plants in Louisiana and three in

Mississippi. Corporate acquisition in 1984 resulted in the closure

of three plants by 1985, while poor economic conditions in 1985

forced the temporary closure of an additional plant. By 1985 the

number of active plants had been reduced to seven.

Fleet size remained fairly stable between 1975 and 1984, varying from 78 to 82 vessels, but then declining to 73 vessels in 1985.

Trends toward larger and faster vessels continued into the 1980s,

and by '1985 over 50% of the fleet (38 of 73) had net holding

capacities in excess of 300 net tons. During 1974-81 total landings

fluctuated between 447,100 and 820,000 mt. Beginning in 1982

and for four consecutive years, total landings exceeded 800,000 mt

and culminated in 1984 with record landings for the fishery of

982,800 mt. Total nominal effort in the fishery exceeded 600,000

vessel-ton-weeks in 1980, and peaked at 655,800 vessel-ton-weeks

in 1983.

Record landings of recent years are related to increased stock

size due to exceptionally large year-classes entering the fishery in

the late 1970s and early 1980s (Vaughan 1987). Total numbers of

fish landed increased from an estimated 5.38 billion fish in 1974

to 11.15 billion fish in 1985. Through the same period, combined

age-I and -2 fish annually averaged about 96% of the estimated

numbers of fish landed, while annual mean lengths and weights for

age-I to -3 gulf menhaden showed little variation.
Table 7

Mean fork length (mm) of gulf menhaden in combined samples of landings from all ports by year, quarter, and age, 1964-85.

Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Overall

Age (yr) Age (yr) Age (yr) Age (yr)

Total

Year 0 2 4 0 4 0 2 3 4 0 2 4 aged

1964 148 180 199 214 \20 158 188 205 2\5 \29 159 180 122 154 \84 201 2\4 12.244

1965 140 178 198 206 117 154 187 209 240 \18 150 189 216 \17 147 181 204 231 \5.\65

\966 149 \79 201 116 \60 186 205 227 \67 116 155 \82 203 227 12,418

\967 142 178 199 \02 158 185 207 167 192 102 151 181 202 14,052

1968 146 177 205 132 \63 187 224 235 \24 \7\ 193 227 13\ 157 182 214 235 15.312

1969 140 183 206 123 \54 \88 2\0 \57 193 232 123 149 186 207 14,739

\970 157 177 205 \10 162 185 210 172 183 \10 160 181 208 10,395

1971 \52 186 204 230 1\9 159 190 204 218 161 188 119 157 188 204 222 7,654

\972 155 182 207 2\5 108 \64 \90 2\1 213 166 188 108 160 187 209 214 9,886

\973 159 185 212 230 120 168 190 214 239 \30 \67 190 222 12\ \65 188 214 236 8,953

1974 160 197 2\4 102 \67 20\ 214 172 199 102 164 199 214 10,085

1975 159 191 216 258 120 \M 198 221 135 171 205 223 \24 \63 196 2\9 258 9,527

\976 151 \87 214 \59 \94 225 160 198 156 \91 220 13,388

1977 146 181 208 235 148 184 2\1 238 152 \85 212 \47 182 210 237 14,897

1978 149 178 207 224 158 185 209 240 166 195 221 155 181 208 228 12,944

1979 153 186 202 210 159 190 206 217 162 188 157 \87 204 213 1\,121

\980 150 183 205 21\ \04 152 189 208 221 89 137 186 205 92 151 \86 206 2\6 9,883

1981 144 174 199 212 149 178 204 2\6 139 166 147 177 20\ 214 10,273

1982 148 \8\ 199 212 150 186 204 2\5 167 184 202 150 183 201 2\3 10,341

1983 146 182 203 212 \50 187 204 221 163 192 206 221 154 185 204 216 14,523

1984 144 182 203 212 151 184 206 217 161 185 210 215 150 184 205 215 15.936

\985 146 179 205 213 151 182 208 214 \50 \82 208 216 149 181 207 214 13,225

Table 8

Mean weight (grams) of gulf menhaden in combined samples of the landings from all ports by year, quarter, and age, 1964-85.

Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Overall

Age (yr) Age (yr) Age (yr) Age (yr)

Year 0 2 3 4 0 2 4 0 2 4 0 3 4

1964 M 127 \82 220 34 77 \38 183 206 4\ 76 115 36 72 131 182 219

1965 56 \27 185 229 32 74 138 198 29\ 35 67 \39 218 32 65 131 192 275

1966 71 125 \77 31 84 137 180 229 95 31 78 130 178 229

\967 58 1\5 157 21 78 132 \8\ 90 147 21 68 \23 167

\968 62 114 176 51 88 139 241 289 35 105 153 249 51 79 125 207 289

\969 57 133 199 36 72 139 192 76 158 274 36 66 137 \99

1970 77 115 179 30 86 133 194 105 128 30 83 \25 189

1971 70 135 177 242 31 83 \44 182 220 81 \4\ 31 78 140 180 227

1972 75 124 171 169 25 87 \44 191 194 92 \27 25 82 136 182 \89

1973 89 149 218 24\ 35 103 152 213 3\3 45 \05 152 242 36 98 \50 216 289

1974 83 161 203 26 93 167 199 102 164 26 89 \64 200

1975 81 146 207 359 33 90 160 221 46 102 177 221 36 88 \56 215 359

\976 70 130 191 80 140 202 91 157 76 \35 197

\977 59 113 166 237 62 121 18\ 246 70 126 \88 62 1\7 \76 243

1978 66 115 185 23\ 79 129 189 282 95 159 236 74 123 \88 244

\979 68 \28 163 182 77 \37 175 195 98 \49 74 132 \69 188

1980 70 126 178 \97 \9 66 142 \86 224 29 53 136 \80 27 66 \34 183 213

1981 58 \06 \55 184 70 118 175 207 63 92 65 113 \65 196

1982 64 124 \63 \92 69 134 175 201 105 \4\ \74 67 130 \68 196

1983 64 131 176 199 76 135 181 222 82 \50 194 257 73 \34 179 2\1

1984 61 130 179 214 70 \30 182 210 90 137 192 210 69 130 181 212

1985 60 116 \75 \95 66 \18 170 \84 63 121 176 187 63 117 172 187

6
Acknowledgments _

We wish to express our appreciation to menhaden plant owners and

managers who provided records of vessel offloadings and also

access for our port agents to sample gulf menhaden. We thank all

past and present members of the Menhaden Program at the Beaufort Laboratory who contributed to the gulf menhaden database,

especially William R. Nicholson who maintained menhaden biostatistical files until his retirement in 1984, Charles W. Krouse,

Jr., for his computer programming talents, Dean W. Ahrenholz for

his guidance and encouragement during preparation of the

manuscript, and Beverly W. Harvey who typed numerous drafts of

the manuscript. Sheryan P. Epperly, John V. Merriner, and James

R. Waters made valuable comments on initial drafts.

We wish to dedicate this report to the memory of Robert (Bob)

B. Chapoton who was a Branch Leader in the Menhaden Program

at the Beaufort Laboratory until his untimely death in May 1985.

During the early 1960s he devised and initiated the Program's port

sampling survey for gulf menhaden. Through the years, Bob maintained gulf menhaden catch and effort data and served as scientific

liaison to the menhaden industry and the Atlantic and Gulf States

Marine Fisheries Commissions. In his final years, Bob's management philosophies on menhaden affected major decisions by menhaden companies on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as

reaching the highest levels of state and federal fisheries management agencies. Bob's contacts in the industry and fisheries management circles were also counted among his friends. His wit,

steadfastness, and friendship will be missed by all who knew him.

Citations _

AHRENHOLZ, D. W.

1981. Recruitment and exploitation of gulf menhaden, Brevoortia pa/ronus.

Fish. Bull., U.S. 79:325-335.

CHAPOTON, R. B.

1972. The future of the Gulf menhaden, the United States' largest fishery. Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. lnst. 24:134-143.

CHRISTMAS, J. Y., and D. J. ETZOLD.

1977. The menhaden fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, United States: A regional

management plan. Gulf Coast Res. Lab. Tech. Rep. Ser. I, 53 p.

CHRISTMAS, J. Y., D. J. ETZOLD, and L. B. SIMPSON.

1983. The menhaden fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, United States: A regional

management plan. Gulf States Mar. Fish. Comm. 8, 107 p.

JUNE, F. c., and J. W. REINTJES.

1960. Age and size composition of the menhaden catch along the Atlantic coast

of the United States, 1956; with a brief review of the commercial fishery. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 336,38 p.

NELSON, W. R., and D. W. AHRENHOLZ.

1986. Population and fishery characteristics of gulf menhaden, Brevoortia

pa/ronus. Fish. Bull.. U.S. 84:311-325.

NICHOLSON, W. R.

1978. Gulf menhaden, Brevoor/ia pa/ronus, purse seine fishery: Catch, fishing activity, and age and size composition, 1964-1973. U.S. Dep. Cammer., NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 722,8 p.

NICHOLSON, W. R. and W. E. SCHAAF.

1978. Aging of Gulf menhaden, Brevoor/ia pa/ronus. Fish. Bull., U.S.

76:315-322.

SCHAAF, W. E., J. E. SYKES, and R. B. CHAPOTON.

1975. Forecasts of Atlantic and gulf menhaden catches based on the historical

relation of catch and fishing effort. Mar. Fish. Rev. 37( 10):5-9.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

1975-1987. Fisheries of the United States lannual editions for the years 1974-

86]. Current Fishery Statistics series. Natl. Fish. Stat. Prog., Natl. Mar.

Fish. Serv., NOAA, Wash., D.C. 20235.

VAUGHAN, D. S.

1987. Stock assessment of the gulf menhaden, Brevoortia pa/ronus. fishery. U.S. Dep. Cammer., NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 58, 18 p.

Appendix Table 1

Quarterly time increments used in

stock assessment analyses for gulf

menhaden.

7

:;>uarter Beginning date

1 III

2 >4/3

3 >713

4 >1013

Ending date

<414

<714

<1014

12131
Appendix Table 2

Estimated numbers of gulf menhaden (t03) landed by purse seine vessels by year, quarter, and age, 1964·85.

Age (yr) Age (yr)

Quarter 0 I 2 3 4+ Quarter 0 1 2 3 4+

1964 1975

2 99 1.607.742 846.118 71.591 2.714 2 - 723.570 511.340 250,484 I'll

3 2,411 1.708,043 648,183 46,475 1,639 3 65,513 1,595,516 866,811 178,197 -

4 246 13,496 852 - - 4 43,257 121,425 121,059 33.146 - Totals 2,756 3.329,281 1,495,153 118,066 4,353 Totals 108,770 2,440,511 1,499,210 461,827 I'll

1965 1976

2 - 2,328,238 682,926 42,155 100 2 - 1,508,212 660,107 79,593 - 3 42.479 2.665,991 391,729 37,955 600 3 - 2,945,593 702,432 120,912 -

4 950 37,162 1,973 155 0 4 - 137,587 11.400 3,413 -

Totals 43,429 5.031.391 1,076,628 80,265 700 Totals - 4,591,392 1,373,939 203,918 -

1966 1977

I - 8,641 - - - 2 - 1,828,995 743,564 54,359 2,238

2 - l,b06,925 456,112 15,258 - 3 - 2,684,240 577 ,863 55,375 3,254

3 30.450 1.498,808 409,041 18,505 258 4 - 146,713 10,292 635 136

4 - 44 3 - - TOlals - 4,659,948 1.331,719 110,369 5,628

TOlals 30,450 3,314,418 865,156 33,763 258

1978

1967 2 - 3,173,917 1,434,341 35,649 3,841

I - 4,637 - - - 3 - 3,155,722 1,174,856 17,026 1,400

2 - 2,047.182 165,019 7,930 - 4 - 457,804 132,816 - -

3 22,439 2,184,399 170,279 4,991 - TOlals - 6,787,443 2,742,013 52,675 5,241

4 1 31,432 2,360 77 -

Totals 22,440 4,267,650 337,658 12,998 - 1979

2 - 1,429,172 1,499,976 155,386 3,821

1968 3 - 2,776,241 1,265,298 160,466 2,991

2 - 1,200,884 445,907 12,182 - 4 - 495,805 111,890 21,346 - 3 26,843 2,093,188 539,128 18,708 - Totals - 4,701,218 2,877,164 337,198 6,812

4 38,220 181,153 16,266 6,563 504

TOlals 65,063 3,475,225 1,001,301 37,453 504 1980

2 - 428,521 1,667,589 212,927 23,278

1969 3 6,661 2,557,327 1,384,854 210,227 23,469

2 - 2,386,612 614,767 23,434 - 4 59,197 423,563 208,668 12,998 1,113

3 20,509 3,371 ,366 613,120 8,027 - Totals 65,858 3,409,411 3,261, III 436,152 47,860

4 291 317,026 58.455 200 -

Totals 20,800 6,075,004 1,286,342 31,661 - 1981

2 - 2,213,414 681,532 193,544 18,347

1970 3 - 3,329,908 677,802 125,742 14,679

2 - 938,428 1,012,857 18,295 - 4 - 207,205 65.604 10,116 1.189

3 46,159 2,217,435 1,188,340 17,788 - Totals - 5,750,527 1,424,938 329.402 34,215

4 4,029 73,%'1 78,780 - -

TOlals 50,188 3,279,852 2.279,977 36.083 -- 1982

2 - 2,102,238 1,413.133 330,382 41,620

1971 3 - 2,711.714 1,791.318 160,681 19.962

I - 6.704 3.652 1,231 - 4 - 332,791 97,508 12.473 679

2 - 2.553.271 1,164,412 111,255 1,848 Totals - 5,146.743 3,301,959 503,536 62,261

3 16,892 3,018,766 742,022 67,800 2,269

4 4,699 182,386 45,364 1,552 -- 1983

Totals 21,591 5,761,127 1,955.450 181,838 4,117 2 - 1,382,746 1,233,830 169,821 7,225

3 - 2,764,068 2,296,239 187.818 15,604

1972 4 - 538,912 279,160 24,975 2,267

I - 6,271 4,180 - - TOlals - 4.685,726 3,809,229 382,614 25,096

2 1,499,517 829,348 35,551 1.842

3 18,483 1,447,615 820,881 52,989 2,188 1984

4 630 94,334 79,121 - - 2 - 2,544,555 1,248,185 169,766 20,344

TOlals 19.113 3,047,737 1,733,530 88,540 4,030 3 - 4,888,625 1,439,535 221,924 24,385

4 - 316,373 193,767 46,669 5,017

1973 Totals - 7,749,553 2,881,487 438,359 49,746

I 132 660 - -

2 912,629 412,208 30,540 117 1985

3 48,525 1,981.765 629,515 54,858 667 2 - 3,195,215 1,722,688 201,030 4,713

4 1,375 138,479 64,596 14,219 487 3 - 4,455,768 922,899 78,585 15,574

Tolals 49,900 3,033,005 1,106,979 99,617 1,271 4 - 476,657 78,057 3,421 291

Totals - 8,127,640 2,723,644 283,036 20,578

1974

2 - 1,611,940 777,283 15,801 -

3 1,407 2,123,958 669.317 42,792 -

4 110,856 25,047 491 -

Totals 1.407 3,846,754 1,471,647 59,084 -

8