NOAA Technical Report NMFS 59 September 1987

Atlantic Menhaden,

Brevoortia tyrannus,

Purse Seine Fishery, 1972-84,

with a Brief Discussion of

Age and Size Composition

of the Landings

Joseph W. Smith

William R. Nicholson

Douglas S. Vaughan

Donnie L. Dudley

Ethel A. Hall

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service
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NOAA Technical Report NMFS 59

Atlantic Menhaden,

Brevoortia tyrannus,

Purse Seine Fishery, 1972-84,

with a Brief Discussion of

Age and Size Composition

of the Landings

Joseph W. Smith

William R. Nicholson

Douglas S. Vaughan

Donnie L. Dudley

Ethel A. Hall

September 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

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this NMFS publication.

II
CONTENTS

Introduction

Changes in sampling and reporting procedures

Changes in the fishery 4

Total landings, vessels, effort, and CPUE in the fishery 5

Landings, age composition, effort, and CPUE by area 6

North Atlantic 6

Middle Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay 7

South Atlantic 8

North Carolina fall fishery 9

Length and weight statistics 10

Summary II

Acknowledgments 15

Citations 15

Appendix Tables 16

III

Atlantic Menhaden,

Brevoortia tyrannus, Purse

Seine Fishery, 1972-84,

with a Brief Discussion of

Age and Size Composition

of the Landings

Joseph W. Smith

William R. Nicholson

Douglas S. Vaughan

Donnie L. Dudley

Ethel A. Hall

Beau/1m Labor(//or\"

SOlllheasT Fisheries Cell/er

NaTional Marine Fisheries Sen'ice. NOAA

Beau/1m, NorTh Carolina 285/6-9722

ABSTRACT

This report summarizes (I) annual purse seine landings of Atlantic menhaden,

Brevoortia (vra1lfllls. for 1972-84,12) estimated numbers of fish caught by l1shing

area. (3) estimates of nominal fishing en'ort and catch-per-unit-effort, (4) mean

fish length and weight. and (51 major changes in the fishery. During the 1970s

stock size and recruitment increased and the age composition broadened. reversing trends witnessed during the fishery's decline in the 1960s. Landings steadily

improved and by 1980 the total coastwide landings exceeded 400.000 metric tons.

Nevertheless. the character of the fishery changed considerably. Eleven reduction plants processed fish at seven ports in 1972. bUI in 1984 only eight plants

operated at live ports. Beginning in the mid-1960s the center of fishing aclivity

shifted from the Middle Atlantic area to the Chesapeake Bay area. which has

continued to dominate the fishery in landings and effort through the 1970s and

1980s. During this period the aver'age size and age of fish in the catches declined.

Introduction _

The purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden had its origins in

coastal New England waters during the 1800s. Fishing techniques

and processing methods gradually improved and by the 1930s the

fishery spreau south to the Middle and South Atlantic states

(Nicholson 1971 a). Early in the evolution of the fishery the principal product was fish scrap useu for fertilizer. After World War II

the demand for fish meal and fish oil increascd. and the industry

underwent significant modemization. Major innovations included

spotter aircraft, nylon purse seines, hydraulic power blocks. aluminum purse boats. and large catcher vessels (> 300 net tons) with

refrigerated fish holds (N icholson 1971 a). The industry grew

rapidly and peak landings occurred in 1956, Presently almost all

purse seine landings are processed at reduction plants into three

major products: fish meal and fish solubles used as supplements in

poultry feed, anu fish oil used primarily as a refined edible oil in

Europe and Canada. Reccntly. a small but increasing portion of the

lanuings have been frozen for crab bait.

Since 1955 the Beaufort Laboratory of the National Marine

Fisheries Service (formerly the Bureau of Commcrcial Fisheries

until 1970) has monitored the Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery for biostatistical and catch-and-effort data. Summary reports

dealing with this fishery are available for the years 1952-55 (June

and Reintjes 1959), 1956 (June and Reintjes 1960). 1957 (June

1961), 1958 (June anu Nicholson 1(4). 1959-62 (Nicholson and

Higham 1964a.b. 1965. 1966). and 1963-71 (Nicholson 1975).

The purposes of this paper are to update routinc biostatistical and

catch-and-effort data collected by the Beaufort Laboratory from

the Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishcry during 1972-84. to discuss age and size composition of the catches. to document major

changes in the fishery. and to serve as a supportive document for

stock assessment analyses (Vaughan and Smith 1986a). Included

are ( I) annual purse seine landings of Atlantic menhaden for ports

from Maine to Florida; (2) estimated numbers of fish caught in

each of the five fishing areas; (3) estimated nominal fishing effort

and catch-per-unit-effort by area of vessel origin; and (4) mean fish

lengths and weights by fishing area, season, and age.

Changes in Sampling

and Reporting Procedures _

Significant changes have occurred in sampling and reporting procedures since the report of Nicholson (1975). Prior to 1972. menhaden port samplers were instructed to weigh (in grams). measure

(fork length in mm). remove scales for ageing. and sex 20 fish

randomly chosen from a sampling bucket and taken from the top

of the hold from each menhaden vessel sampled. Since 1972 only

10 randomly chosen fish per collection were weighed. measured.

and had scales removed (fish no longer sexed). as it has been

recognized that a IO-fish sample provides an adequate representation of a random sample from the vessel's last purse seine set

(Chester 1984). With the increased importance of Chesapeake Bay

and North Carolina landings to the total. we increased sampling

activity at these sites by adding a second port sampler in the early

1980s during months of peak landings (Table I).

For the purposes of summary and analysis. the Atlantic coast

was divided' into four geographic fishing areas and one temporal

fishing area by June and Reintjes (1959). with one minor change

in the boundary between the Chesapeake Bay and South Atlantic

areas of Nicholson (1975) (Fig. I). The North Carolina fall fishery

constitutes thc temporal fishing area and exploits fish from about
\

NORTH

ATLANTIC

AREA

(1)

MIDDLE

ATLANTIC

AREA

(2)

SOUTH

ATLANTIC

AREA

(4)

CHESAPEAKE

BAY

AREA

(3)

,-, ,'\,./' ""'ll

I •

I '

I ' , ' , ' \ , , \

~( '. , ; ...

ME.

r\' _.\ ' ... 'I"'---~ I '.

> \ VT. ( •

i J \ , ' , I ,

: N.H. " \

... ~.1 .>--

",-MASS,

: .. ' --, ..,

"~CC;NN, R.I, P. 1>

\ Pt, Judith .>

VA.

PENN,

- - ••... 1

N. Y.

-- -.. ~-;---\-MD. \ ,,.1 t'.... / ""i__•

, "

,-

,

, ,'''-;

,

I

.

.

GA,

\

.

i

,

,

,

,

'. - .... _.,~ ..... - _.... _. - -_. --",j

.

.

.

Figure I

Location of fishing areas and plants, Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery, 1972·84.

2
Table 1

Number of IO-fish samples collected from Allantic menhaden purse seine catches by fishing area, port, and plant, 1972-84.

Locatiun 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 197R 1979 1980 1981 1982 In3 1984

NORTH ATLANTIC AREA

Rockland. ME 0 2 0 0 0 4 3 II 62

Portland. ME I 0 0 7 0 0 0 2 6

Gloucester. MA 0 6 20 21 18 30 64 66 66 100 60 95 171

Poinl Judilh. RI 6 2 13 14 18 15 15 9 0

MIDDLE ATLANTIC AREA

POrl Monmouth. NJ 47 59 67 133 125 171 116 92 109 115

CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA

Reedville. VA 0

(3 plants) 170 191 III 125 108 110 108 97 84 170 243 270 266

306 228 125 124 132 158 137 133 137 164 233 338 301

SOUTH ATLANTIC AREA

Beaufort. NC 27 89 97 103 89 74 53 64 114 158 139 205 191

(3 plants) 7 2 II 45 22 33 41 42 32 27 28 59 55

10 0 53 66 41 50 48 53 43 37 59 94 78

Soulhport. NC 13 32 40 53 63 49 63 42 27 66 88 29

Fernandina Beach. FL 70 26 6 43 26 32 59 39 119 80 52 42 45

Totals 656 636 543 727 647 724 m 637 731 921 907 TI49 TI69

*Plant did not operate.

Cape Hatteras south to the southern border of North Carolina. This

fishery usually begins in late October or early November, depending upon the arrival of migratory menhaden from waters farther

north, and ends the last day of February of the next calender year

(although most fishing activity usually stops by mid-January). For

standardized data summary. the first week of the fall fishery is

taken to be the week which ends between 8 and 14 November.

Vessels rarely fished in areas other than where their home port

and processing plant were located (Table 2). Exceptions included

vessels from the plant at Port Monmouth, NJ (Middle Atlantic

area) which frequently fished in Long Island Sound (North Atlantic

area). and vessels from plants in Chesapeake Bay which in 1983-

84 tended to fish more often in areas north of the Chesapeake Bay

area and also in the South Atlantic area during November and

December. Vessels from Ihe South Atlantic area rarely fished in

areas to the north.

Estimated numbers of fish are calculated as describe(j in Chester

(1984). However. unlike previous summary reports for Atlantic

menhaden. we report the estimated numbers of fish by area cuughl

rather than by area IUl/ded. The former is biogeographically more

realistic. and better serves our purpose of providing a supportive

document for population mol!eling and stock assessment analyses

(Vaughan and Smith 1986a). Furthermore, recent state management options developed for the Atlantic menhaden fishery

(Vaughan and Smith IY86b) were devisel! basel! on area of capture. In this light. Table 3 shows tonnage of fish by area landed,

and from a historical perspective serves the concerns of state fisheries managers and menhaden industry personnel. Estimates of

number of fish by area caught (Tables 8-12) were not derived

directly from tonnages in Table 3. but rather from the proportion

of sampled fish caught by fishing area as computed via our sampling program.

In this report we use the term "landings" to refer to ( I) the total

weight of fish (in metric tons) offloaded at a plant (or plants), or

(2l the coastwide estimate of total number of fish harvested and

offloaded at docksid~. We use the terms "catch" or "area caught"

3

in reference to estimates of number of fish caught in a given fishing

area. In a sense, our use of the term "catch-per-unit-effort (CPUEl"

is a misnomer, because in this report CPUE is actually "Iandingsper-unit-effort" defined as metric tons of fish landed per vessel

weeki.

Historic port sampling data for size and age were re-examined

for errors using recently developed editing programs on the computer; corrections were made to the data set where appropriate.

Hence, estimated numbers of fish caught at age for 1970-84

(Tables 4 and 8-12) may differ slightly with numbers reported

by Nicholson (1975) and those in ASMFC (1981). Estimated

numbers-at-age for years prior 10 1970 are from two sources:

1965-69, estimated numbers by area caught are from the data set

IA ves)el week is one vessel fishing at least one day of one week.

Table 2

Percentages of Atlantic menhaden (estimaled numbers of

fish) caught by purse seine vessels in areas other than where

their home ports were located.

Year orth Allantic Middle Allanlic Chesapeake Bay

1972 0.0 14.7 5.1

1973 0.0 213 2.4

1974 0.0 17.2 130

1975 0.0 548 10.8

1976 0.0 267 15.2

1977 00 207 93

1978 0.0 58.7 88

1979 0.0 48.6 0.6

1980 00 59.4 00

1981 0.0 62.6 3.1

1982 0.0 3.2

1983 00 20.0

1984 00 20.1

*Planl did not operate.
*LanLlings from two arc<.JS combined to protect confidential diJta.

Table 3

Allantie menhaden purse seine landings (10-' metric tons) by area landed,

1940-84.

used by Ahrenholz et aL (1987): 1955-64, estimated numbers-atage are available only by area landed and are from Nicholson

( 1975)

Appendix formats used by Nicholson (1975) which featured

length-frequency distributions for sampled fish by port and age,

and mean lengths of sampled fish by month and age. were consolidated and refined. In Appendix Tables 2-13 we report simple

mean lengths and simple mean weights by fishing area (and coastwide). age (in yr), and season. Appendix Table 1 defines seasons

(= quarters) used in subsequent appendices. Coastwide estimates

of numbers of fish landed by age and quarter for \965-84 that were

used in stock assessment analyses (Vaughan and Smith 1986a) are

given in Appendix Table 14.

North Middle Chesapeake South

Year Atlanti,' Atlantic Bay Allantic

Changes in the Fishery _

As documented by Nicholson (1975), the purse seine fishery for

Atlantic menhaden declined through the 1960s when fish became

scarce in the northern half of their range. Stock size decreased due

to low recruitment and the age structure became truncated (Ahrenholz et aL 1987). Plants closed and the vessels reduced their

fishing north of Chesapeake Bay. During the mid-1960s landings

and CPUE at plants in Chesapeake Bay declined even as effort

increased. South of Cape Hatteras, the fishery was relatively small

and there was little change. During the 1970s recruitment levels

increased and by the latter part of the decade the age structure

began to broaden (Ahrenholz et aL 1987). Nevertheless, the character of the fishery changed considerably during the 1970s. Eleven

reduction plants operated at seven ports in 1972, but in 1984 only

eight plants processed fish at five ports.

Plants in the North Atlantic area primarily process fish offal

from the New England trawl fisheries, but they process menhaden

during summer and early fall when the fish are available locally.

Must vessels fishing for North Atlantic plants are trawlers that

convert to purse seine fishing during summer. In 1972 only two

plants (PI. Judith, RI, and Gloucester, MA) were active in the

North Atlantic area (Fig. \). [n 1975 three facilities processed

menhaden (Gloucester, MA, Portland, ME, and Rockland, ME),

and although purse seine vessels continued to land menhaden at PI.

Judith, the reduction plant had closed and the fish were transported

via truck to the facility at Portland for processing. Landings at PI.

Judith were handled in this manner through 1979 and again in

1982. After 1983 the plant at Portland closed. In 1984 only the

facilities at Gloucester and Rockland processed menhaden. Closure of the plants at PI. Judith and Portland was not related directly

to a scarcity of menhaden, rather it was primarily due to local

factory-odor abatement problems. In 1984 the plant at Gloucester

came under similar scrutiny and was inactive during 1985 and

1986.

During the 1950s and early 1960s as many as five reduction

plants were active in the Middle Atlantic area, but through the

1970s only one plant at Port Monmouth, NJ, was active. It ceased

operation after the 1981 fishing season. During the late 1960s and

early 1970s acquisitions and consolidation reduced the number of

operating factories in the Chesapeake Bay area (Nicholson 1975).

By 1973 only two processing plants remained in the Chesapeake

Bay area: both were in Reedville, VA, and both were active

through 1985. One of these temporarily suspended operations after

the 1985 fishing season. During the mid-1960s plants in

Chesapeake Bay acquired larger and faster vessels, and the fishing

season was extended into November as migratory schools of fish

were exploited off the Virginia capes (Nicholson \975). This trend

continued through the 1980s with Virginia plants processing fish

into December in 8 of 13 years between 1972 and 1984. [n some

years (1980s) migratory fish harvested as far south as Cape Hatteras, NC, were processed in Virginia. Moreover, beginning in

1983 vessels from Chesapeake Bay caught significant numbers of

fish (Table 2) in the Middle Atlantic and North Atlantic areas, left

vacant after the plant at Port Monmouth closed in 1981. Thus, by

the mid-1980s vessels from Chesapeake Bay exploited Atlantic

menhaden in all four geographical fishing areas.

In the South Atlantic area. the number of processing plants

remained relatively stable from 1972 to 1984. Two plants in Beaufort, NC, uperated during all years of the period in both the

217.7

2779

1672

237.2

257.9

295.9

362.4

378.3

3465

363S

297.2

361.4

409'l

5932

6081

6414

712.1

6028

510.U

6591

5298

575'l

537.7

.1469

269.2

2734

219.6

1935

234S

161.6

259.4

2503

3659

3469

292.2

2502

340.5

341 I

.,441

.,75.7

401.5

381.3

3S24

41S.6

326.3

366

349

20.1

28.S

2S7

31.9

373

329

406

397

21.8

311

26.4

3'l.7

41.9

644

737

52.1l

70.3

82.1

62.2

09.9

25.S

61S

3S.4

529

71.7

51.2

52.8

413

IS.3

7.9

54

2.4

15.7

17.8

IS.I

32.2

38.2

54.0

35.8

64.5

30.5

6S.4

6S.7

North Carol illa

fall fishery TOlal

46.5

36.7

245

34.1

33.6

32.9

42.4

383

459

372

45.9

59.5

50.7

49.S

603

61.6

532

79.1

5XS

31.3

190

.,7 9

452

32.9

59.7

469

5S.5

40.8

342

55.S

59.3

200

54.0

So.O

52S

39.6

43.4

6S.6

36.4

41.3

631

36.7

44.1

42.2

34.2

1940 16.S 91.1 .'5.3

1941 .,35 104.1 60.2

1942 14.6 77.7 21.9

194.' 9.8 96.8 42.1

1944 27.5 1226 32.2

1945 34.0 136.4 35. I

1946 42.9 183.8 57.6

1947 44.2 1858 SI.2

1948 44.4 137.4 683

1'14'1 522 1498 62S

1950 493 1430 63.1

1951 51.0 1686 561

1952 58.1 193.7 45.7

1'l53 59.7 363.2 77.S

1954 649 3357 1260

1955 83.' 317.6 132.7

1956 98.5 37S,3 94.0

1957 835 3045 126.0

1958 36.0 211.1 151.3

1959 66.0 2509 196.8

1960 66.4 250.0 108.5

1961 58.6 274.6 128.7

1962 64.7 249.9 155.1

1963 35.2 111.7 1040

1964 15.0 35.2 1.14. I

1965 11.9 458 126.1

1966 1.8 6.0 115.0

1967 00 17.1 91.1

1968 6.7 262 115.5

1969 29 125 no

1970 4.3 11.4 IS2.9

1971 10.4 23.0 170.7

1972 14.5 546 245.5

1973 299 277.4

1974 358 194.8

1975 231 1498

1976 284 24.1.3

1977 15.0 2441

1978 314 214.1

1979 29.4 2307

1980 29.7 282.S

1981 21.8 2159

1982 =-:":'''--;;:2'''93''-.7'1~-'-'--'-"--

1983 31S9

1984 23S6

4
"summer" fishery" and the North Carolina fall fishery. A third

plant in Beaufort operated during the summer fishery of 1972,

1973. 1975. and 1978-80. and during each North Carolina fall

fishery. 1972-84: this plant was inactive during 1985 and J986.

One plant in Southport. NC, was active during the summer fishery,

1972-83. and during the North Carolina fall fishery of 1975, 1977,

IC)78. and 1980-83. It closed after the 1983 fishing season. The

single plant in Fernandina Beach. FL, was active during all years,

1972-1984

Total Landings, Vessels, Effort,

and CPUE in the Fishery _

Total landings of Atlantic menhaden declined precipitously during

the I960s. falling from 575.900 metric tons in 1961 to 161,600 mt

in 1969 (Table 3). Landings gradually increased through the early

1970s. yet fluctuated between 250,200 mt in 1975 and 365.900 mt

~Th~ summer fishery in the South Afl£lntic area IfCiditionally refers to the fishery from

April through carty November. after which time migratory schools of fish from more

nOrlherly latitudes begin 10 £Ippcar in North Carolina coastal waters.

in 1972. During the late 1970s landings remained above the

340,000 mt level anu continued to climb. By 1980. 40 1,500 mt

were landed and the landings of 418.600 mt in 1983 were the

greatest since 1962.

During the 1960s t'"le estimated number of fish in the coastwide

landings declined to a low of 868.18 million fish in 1969 (Table 4).

As landings improved through the early 1970s, estimated numbers

offish landed ranged from 969.1 million in 1971 to 1.990.6 million in 1974. Estimated total numbers of fish exceeded :1.000

million in 1976 and remained above this level through 1984. Our

estimate of 3,984.0 million fish landed in 1981 was the greatest

since 1959.

Although estimated numbers of fish in the landings during 1976-

84 approached, and even surpassed in some years. the estimates of

the 1950s, the age composition of the landings during the late

1970s and early 1980s changed considerably (Table 4). The fishery

has always relieu heavily on prespawning fish (age 2 and younger)

(Table 4). Prior to the population decline in the early 1960s, the

annual percentage of prespawners in the total landings averaged

83% between 1955-62 (range: 51-96%). Over the period 1975-84

greater numbers of prespawners were taken and their annual percentage in the total landings was 94% (range: 87-98'7c). NoteworTable 4

Estimated numbers (106) of Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels, 1955-84.

Age (yr)

Year 0 4 6 8·10 Total

1955 761.01 67415 1.057.68 267.31 30721 38.07 1053 184 0.64 3.118.44

1956 3637 2.07326 902.72 319.60 44.78 15068 28.70 n.72 1.99 3.56482

1957 29958 1.599.98 1.361.77 96.73 70.80 4052 3693 426 1.10 3.511.67

1958 10606 858.16 1.63535 7205 1725 15.94 909 4.88 043 2.71921

1959 1140 4.038.72 851.29 388.27 3341 11.87 12.3n 4.55 1.77 5.35364

19f1O 7217 281.01 2.20863 76.37 10220 23 77 7.95 2.36 065 2.775.11

1961 025 83242 50360 1.209.57 1918 29.38 2.86 .81 0.24 2.59831

1962 51.58 51411 834.52 217.25 423.37 30.75 24.60 298 0.70 2.09986

1963 96.89 724.23 70920 122.53 44.97 5238 1042 333 056 1.76451

1964* 30259 703.95 60498 8350 1794 7.85 6.62 1.31 032 1.729.06

1965 249.12 74521 42140 7776 12 17 1.81 1.22 075 006 1.50948

1966 34945 55082 404.14 3170 389 036 0.11 0.11 0.04 1.340.61

1967 6.95 63320 26567 7277 509 0.49 O.UI 98418

1968 15426 37736 53895 65.69 10.67 098 0.06 1.147.98

1969** 15813 37233 284.31 47.81 544 0.15 0.01 868.18

1970 2142 87085 473.92 3263 402 011 1.402.96

1971 72.85 26329 52432 8829 1784 2.51 9691U

1972 50 16 981.27 48847 173.06 1912 186 1.713.95

1973 55.% 58847 1.15294 3863 700 034 1.84336

1974 31555 636.68 98597 4859 249 1.35 1.990.63

1975 29864 719.96 1.086.53 50.24 663 020 0.10 2.162.30

197n 274.23 1.611.96 1.341.09 47.97 7.95 0.28 3.283.47

1977 484.62 1.004.54 2.081.77 83.46 17.80 141 0.11 3.67371

1978 457.41 66409 1.670.91 258.12 31.19 348 3.U852U

1979 1.492.46 623.14 1.603.29 127. 93 21.76 1.47 0.U9 3.87U13

1980 8829 1.47806 1458.23 222. 71 6923 1436 1.44 3.33232

1981 1.18757 69866 1.811.46 22220 4747 1537 1.27 3.984.U2

1982 114.11 91944 1739.55 37967 1633 5.78 0.53 0.32 3.17572

1983 96441 517.22 2.293.06 114.35 47.37 5.01 023 046 3.942.11

1984 1.294.22 1.024.17 892.09 271.50 50.34 15.21 051 3.548.04

* 1955-64 dala from Nicholson ( 1975).

** 1965-69 data from database used by Ahrenholz el al. ( 1987).

5
thy were the large numbers elf age-O menhaden (i.e., "peanuts")

caught during 1974, 1979, 199 I, 19~3, dnd 1984, most of which

were taken during the North Carolina fall fi~hery.

Total number of vessels in tht: fishery fell from 150 vessels in

1955 to 51 vessels in the early 197t)s (Table 5). Vessel numbers

in.::reased slightly during the mid-I Y70s to 04, then declined further

to 38 vessels in 1984.

Since the mid-1950s to early I%Os when nominal ~ffmt ex·

pended by the tleet averaged over 2,000 vessel weeks per year, the

general trend in nominal effort has been one pf dec'line (Table 6).

On the other hand, effective effort 1 has probably increased. as

modem vessels are much more efficient than their earlier counterparts, owing in part to faster steel-hull vessels with grea'er refrigerated hold capacities amI better coordination among vessels and

spotter aircraft. This has allowed for increased time spent fishing

'In the Atlantic menhaden fishery. observed or nominal fishing effort cannOI be

dirlelly adjusted to units of effeelive effort (effort thai is a more reliable measure of

fisillng m,'rtalityI for reasons oUllined by Nicholson (197Ia) and Schaaf and HunlSIllan (19721.

Table 5

!'lumbers of purse seine vessels that landed Atlantic menhaden durin~ the

tishing season by area of vessel ori~il1, 1955-84.

Given these improvements, the fishing power (If the modem fleei

has probably mlll,' than doubled (Ahrenholl et al. 19~7).

Catch-per-unit-etfort trends in Chesapeake Bay and areas north

showed general declines through the 1960s, with improvement

through tht: 11I7()s and early 19S0s (Table 7). South ofChesapea~,c

Bay dramatIc decline, in CPUE were not apparent dunng the

1960s, and CPUE tended to increase during the 1970s and early

IYSOs.

Landings, Age Composition. Effort, and CPUE by Area _

North Atlantic

For rhe penod 1955-6:: annual landings in the North Atlantic area

averaged 11% 01 the total annual landings for the entire fishery

(Table 3). Landing, declined through the 1960s and as the population recovered in the IY70s the North Atlantic area again contributed significantly to the total landings. Between 1972 and

1981" anllual North Atlantic landtngs averaged about 8% of the

total Iishery.

The purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden in the North

Atlantic area is Cllmprised almot exclusively of age-2 fish and

older, with ages 2 and 3 predominating (Table 8). During the

Fishing

season Total I

North

Atlantic:!

VlIddk Chesapc.Jkc

A!lantil" Bay'

South

Atlantic·

NC

fall

I ishcr~

~North Atlanli( C1Tl'a ldth..1.ings ~·UI !982-84 are cumbincd with other areas to pro{~CI

landings conFidentialily.

Table 6

Atlantic menhaden nominal fishing elTort (vessel weeks) by area of vessel

origin, 1955·84.

*1955-71 data d" aot agree with Nicholson (I Y75) because he adjusted (reduced) efFort in the North Atlantic area. and to some exlent areas farther

south. to compensate for the small Sill' of vessels that frequently fished in

those areas. Present values are unadjusted estimates 0f nominal fishing efFort

1955 526 1,018 454 488 262 2.74~

1956 564 979 487 563 2~5 2.878

1957 431 1,094 552 469 229 2.775

1958 268 821 578 397 279 2.343

1959 413 980 685 518 251 2.847

1960 321 906 416 286 168 2.097

1961 292 1.018 482 396 "3 2.371

1962 322 1.035 581 310 103 2.351

1963 265 874 676 276 240 2.331

1964 143 381 806 292 185 1.807

1965 96 302 838 361 20~ 1.805

1966 41 89 809 269 178 1.386

1967 0 126 781 241 168 1.316

1968 28 122 636 255 168 1.209

1969 39 116 523 173 144 9q5

1970 30 62 536 177 101 900

1971* ~7 79 512 180 39 ~,)7

1972 89 101 564 199 20 973

1973 138 116 629 203 13 !.099

1974 152 127 589 238 39 1.145

1975 146 95 616 287 74 1.21~

1976 142 123 570 254 74 1.163

1977 117 131 663 216 112 1.139

1978 110 90 614 274 122 1.21t)

1979 98 95 589 274 142 1.198

1980 67 128 636 231 Y6 1.15R

1981 83 137 545 239 129 1.133

1982 135 0 535 207 71 94,

1983 103 0 600 147 145 995

1984 100 0 570 96 126 R92

1955 150 39 ~8 20 34 'Ii

1956 149 40 47 24 10 63

1957 144 33 46 ~5 11 lJ4

1958 130 23 t.4 ~R 26 63

1959 144 34 4., 3 ; ~5 59

1960 115 19 ~~..; ~2 20 ~7

1961 117 21 47 2:' 20 44

1962 112 20 47 24 15 49

1963 112 10 46 36 16 4'>

1964 III 9 17 3!i 11\ 51

1965 84 6 I' 38 i ~I 40.

1966 76 5 10 36 16 43

1967 64 0 4 32 16 46

1%8 59 4 25 16 45

19b9 51 4 22 16 36

1970 54 4 I 18 II 37

1971 5 I 20 II 32

1972 51 4 19 II 5

1973 58 If) 6 23 II 4

1974 63 ,2 6 22 12 12

1975 61 9 5 22 14 17

1976 62 I: 4 21 12 13

1977 64 j 7 5 24 II) 16

1978 53 13 5 22 II 18

1979 54 II 4 22 13 18

1980' 51 5 6 24 12 19

1981 57 , 7 23 13 19

1982 47 9 0 22 8 18

1983 41 7 0 24 10 17

1984 38 6 0 26 6 12

I Includes all vessel> thai landed fish during thc year. Within a year. the sum

of vt:.... ~e:s across all areas doe~ not equal the total because numerous vessels

that participated in the summer fi,hery in Chesapeake Bay also fished from the

port of Beaulort.. C. during the North Carolina fall fishery.

:Ve"els fishing from New England ports in recent years are mostly trawlers

that convert 10 purse seiners in summer. Some Fish regularly and others fish

sp0radicall,

llne/udes vessels that Fished only in Ihe summer fishery. Does not include

vessels added in OClober or November.

41ncludcs only vessels that landed regularly in the summer fishery.

'1955-dO data from ASMFC (1981).

North

Year Atlantic

Middle

Atlantic

Chesapeake

Bay

South

Allantic

NC fall

fishery Coaslwide

-_.._-_._--------------------"
I Table 7

Calch-per-unit·eITort data (melric tons/vessel week) for Ihe Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery, 1955-84.

orth Middle Chesapc"kc South NC fall

Atlantic AII"nlic Bay Atlantic fishcry

1~55 158 .112 292 8~ 246

1~56 175 .186 1~.1 122 259

1~57 1~4 278 228 78 227

1~58 114 257 262 104 252

145~ 160 256 287 122 328

1%0 207 28.1 261 128 .170

1%1 201 270 267 III 382

1%2 201 241 267 1311 250

196.1 1l.1 128 154 124 258

1%4 105 n 166 159 208

1965 124 152 150 102 254

1966 44 67 14.1 91 403

1967 0 1.16 117 141 305

1%8 239 215 182 1.12 .114

1969 74 108 1.18 190 287

1~70 14.1 184 .141 240 181

i971 120 291 .1.1.1 21.1 203

1~72 16.1 541 4.15 2.11 270

I ~7.1 217 .172 18.1 185

1974 2.16 272 1~.1 40.1

1975 158 21 I 207 241

1976 200 .151 200 245

1~77 128 .107 2.11 288

1978 285 .104 220 .113

1979 .100 .1.17 225 380

1480 443 .170 230 37.1

1~8 I 26.1 317 .131 500

1482 4.17 284 430

198.1 454 213 472

1484 356 198 545

'CPUE dala from Iwo "reus combined 10 prOiecl confidential landings.

1960s estimated numbers of fish caught fell from 130.7 million in

1962 to zero effort and no landings in 1967". Thruugh the early

1970s increasing numbers of age-2 and ·3 fish were captured and

by 1980 and 1981 age-4 and -5 fish also made significant contributions to the North Atlantic catch. By the late 1970s annual estimates of total numbers of menhaden caught in the North Atlantic

area approached pre-1963 levels.

The numbcr of active purse seine vessels in the North Atlantic

area increaseJ through the 1970s to 13 by 1978. but pre-1963

levels of participation in the fishery were not attained (Table 5).

The numbers of vessels declined in the 1980s and in 1984 only six

vessels fished out of two ports (Gloucester and Rockland). Effort

in the North Atlantic area increased during thc 1970s to 152 vessel

weeks in 1974, but then fluctuated between 67 vessel weeks in

1<.)80 to 146 vessel weeks in 1975 (Table 6). During the mid-1970s

CPUE levels in the North Atlantic area ranged from 128 mt/vessel

week in 1977 to 236 mt/vessel week in 1974 (Table 7). CPUE

gradually increaseJ through the latc 1970s and reached 443 mt/vessel week in 1980. CPUE levels greater than 250 mt/vessel week

were maintained through 19846

'Although no menhaden were landed for reduction "I North Allantic ports in 1967. an

estlmaled .1.3 million fish were caught in Ihe North Atlanlie "rea (T"ble 8). but were

I"nded in eilher Ihe Middle Allantie or Chesapeake Bay "reus.

hCPUE v"llies for Middle AII"nlie "nd Chesape"ke B"y "reus for 1972-81 have been

combined 10 proleel landings confidentiality. Likewise. CPUE values for the North

AII"nlic "nd Chesape"ke Bay areas for 1982-84 have also been combined.

7

Middle Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay

Between 1973 and 1981 only one plant operated in the Middle

Atlantic area and only two plants operated in Chesapeake Bay;

therefore, a discussion of Atlantic menhaden landings from these

areas, 1973-81, requires that actual landings information be combined to protect confidential data. Furthermore, after 1981 the

facility in New Jersey closed. hence the Chesapeake Bay area

landings for 1982-84 were necessarily combined with North Atlantic area landings, again for reasons of confidentiality.

Prior to 1962, annual landings of Atlantic menhaden in the

Middle Atlantic area surpassed those of the Chesapeake Bay area,

often more than twofold (1955-57, 1960, 1961) (Table 3). Between 1955 and 1962 annual Middle Atlantic area landings averaged 67% of the total from both areas combined. Landings for both

areas declined sharply in the 1960s, low values being 6,000 mt for

the Middle Atlantic area in 1966 and 72,000 mt for the Chesapeake

Bay area in 1969. By 1972 several plants in New Jersey and

Delaware closed and only the plant at P0I1 Monmouth remained .

Between 1972 and 1981 landings shifted dramatically in favor of

Chesapeake Bay plants, with annual landings for the area often

exceeding the Middle Atlantic area landings fourfold (1975, 1977-

80). Between 1972 and 1981, annual landings from both areas

combined averaged 68% of the total landings for the entire Atlantic

menhaden fishery. During 1982-84 landings from the combined

North Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay areas averaged 75% of the

total landings for the entire fishery (Table 3).

Estimated numbers of fish caught in the Middle Atlantic area

increased through the early 1970s and reached almost 400 million

in 1976, although never approaching the record levels of over

1,000 million caught prior to 1961 (Table 9). Estimated numbers

declined to 52.1 million by 1978 and remained below the 100

million level through 1982. After the closure of the plant at Port

Monmouth, vessels from Chesapeake Bay began more frequent

exploitation of waters in the Middle Atlantic and North Atlantic

areas. By 1983 plants in Virginia processed an estimated 300.2

million fish harvested in Middle Atlantic waters. During the 1970s

and early 1980s, age-2 fish predominated in catches from the

Middle Atlantic area, with relatively large numbers of age-I fish

taken in 1972, 1976, and 1978 and age-3 fish in 1972, 1977, and

1984

As processing facilities in New Jersey and Delaware closed in

the 1960s, the number of active vessels fell sharply (Table 5).

Before 1964 over 40 vessels landed Atlantic menhaden in the

Middle Atlantic area, but by 1973 only 6 vessels were active, all

based at the Port Monmouth plant. Between 1972 and 1981 nominal effort at the Port Monmouth plant averaged 114 vessel weeks,

or 12% of the average annual effort expended in the Middle Atlantic area between 1955 and 1962 (Table 6).

Estimated total numbers of fish caught in the Chesapeake Bay

area declined through the 1960s to a low of 254 million in 1969

(Table 10). Estimated numbers fluctuated thereafter, but generally

tended to increase toward and beyond the 1,000 million level. In

1980 an estimated 2,015.8 million fish were harvested in the

Chesapeake Bay area, the greatest number since 1959. The catch

of 1982 also surpassed 2,000 million fish. As Chesapeake Bay area

landings increased during the 1970s, age composition of the catch

shifted towards a greater percentage of age-2 fish. Between 1955

and 1971 estimated numbers of age-I fish uutnumbereJ age-2 fish

in 9 out of 17 years (Table 10). Between 1972 and 1984 estimated

numbers of age-2 fish predominated over age-I fish in 10 of 13

years; in 1983 age-2 fish comprised 83% of the total estimated
Table 8

Estimated number< (106) of Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels in the North

Atlantic area. t95;;-84.

Age (yr)

Year 0 4 6 8-10 Towl

IY55 0.42 2174 114.62 21.94 7.94 093 038 167.97

IY56 11.7Y 69.51 15.8Y 8125 12.91 250 0.72 IY4.57

IY57 2.01 83.87 3503 2Y 42 Ib.15 17.13 2.83 0.46 186.90

IY58 o 1.1 44.18 205\} 7.08 5.76 436 200 001} 84.19

1451} 8.17 .17.13 Y597 105Y 4.06 4.27 2.08 090 16.1.37

1Y60 8864 .14.87 40.53 652 2.39 060 011 17366

1%1 5.11 10715 (,.76 12.27 1.35 OA'l 0.14 13327

1%2 .1.04 29.25 77.72 Y88 8.94 125 062 13070

IY63 1.34 1058 14.48 23.54 594 1.64 (130 5782

1%4* 1.Y2 586 4 12 5.17 4.5Y O'lY o 17 2282

1Y65 0.82 4.1.\ 235 lAY 1.11 0.57 0.06 10.54

1Y66 0.11 133 I 15 0.16 0.11 o II 0.04 3.00

1Y67 078 1.85 066 004 333

1%8 1.65 5.b3 2.lb 027 002 Y.73

1116lJ** 0.49 4.04 2.'l5 0.13 820

1470 15.00 1.04 16.04

IY71 4.97 32.31 11.62 1.44 50.34

1472 2.76 2Y 78 5 17 086 3857

1Y7.\ 10826 11.62 0.77 0.34 120.YY

1974 88.29 42.07 2.45 135 134.15

IY75 7Y.b6 .\.112 464 0.20 o 10 11772

1976 OOY 127.16 2638 620 028 160.11

IY77 609 1.1A2 1058 137 007 51.53

1478 3280 8781 ~2. 74 2.92 146.26

IY7Y 138 9805 562Y Ib.77 1.47 009 174.06

IY80 723 Y4.10 51.51 1150 0.92 16627

Inl 2Y90 6214 44.44 15.00 1.27 152.76

IY82 28.94 84.42 12.5 I 4.8Y 0.46 032 131.55

198.\ 12128 46Y4 1783 219 0.23 19046

IY84 8.74 83.17 18.70 5.48 0.14 11629

*1955-04 dala from Nicholson (IY75).

** IY65-6Y dala from dalabase uscd by Ahrenholl CI 01 ( 1987)

number of fish caughl in the Chesapeake Bay area. Relatively large

numbers of age-O fish were taken in the Chesapeake Bay area

during 19t<1. 1983. and 1984. and also large numbers ofage-3 fish

were caught 1978-84 compared wilh 1'173-77.

The numher of vessels fishing from plants in Chesapeake Bay

remained fairly stable during 1972-84. ranging from 19 to 26

(Table 5). During the same period nominal effort declined from the

record high leveb of the mid-1960s (838 vessel weeks in 1965) and

stabilized near the 600 vessel-week level (Table 6).

Combined CPUE values for the Middle Atlantic and Che.,apeake

BayareasO declined through the mid-I 970s to 211 mt!vessel wel:k

in 1975 (Table 7). From 1976 through 1981 CPUE values rcmained above the 300 mt/vessel week level. In 1983 ccmbincd

CPUE for the North Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay areas peaked at

454 mt/vessel week.

South Atlantic

Landings in the South Atlantic area remained fairly stable during

the 1960s. despite the large tluctuations in other fishing areas~

Landings gradually increased through the late 1970s (Tabl~ 3). By

19t< 1 South Atlantic landings totaled 79.100 mt, a record for this

area for the period 1955-84. The plant at Southport. NC. annually

accounted for a majority of the landings in the South Atlantic area.

and closure of this plant after the 1983 fishing season is retlected

in the 1984 landings for the area of only 19.000 mt.

Historically. catches from the South Atlantic area have consisted

primarily of age-I and -2 menhaden. For the period 1972-84 these

age classes annually comprised between 62Clr and almost 100ck of

the total catch from the area (Table I I). In 1981. 1983. and 1984.

significant numbers of age-O fish were caught. In 198\ over 42

million age-O fish were captured. primarity during October in

North Carolina estuarine waters. During I'1t<3 and 1984 most of the

age-O fish harvested in the South Atlantic area were caught by

vessels from Virginia off the North Carolina coast but were processed in Reedville. Similarly. in 1982-84 some older fish (ages 4
Table 9

Estimated numbers (106) or Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels in the Middle

Atlantic area, 1955-84.

Age (yr)

Year 0 2 4 6 7 8-10 Total

1955 16.31 510.22 211.26 159.33 1296 220 091 0.16 913.35

1956 190.59 786.15 211.23 19.53 22.93 831 3.19 1.27 1.243.20

1957 41030 84646 4246 2044 9.55 8.73 048 056 1.338.98

1958 22.61 795.94 18J3 181 1.19 069 040 034 841.31

1959 87553 448.11 168.08 438 2.06 2.00 1.69 033 1.502.18

1960 1227 1.140.56 1623 265U 635 J.53 044 o 12 1.204.00

1961 3.47 164.16 741.82 6.04 6.95 089 032 0.10 92375

1962 11.77 193.:17 14580 28826 1645 13.84 1.23 008 67U80

1963 15790 232.62 39.94 21.56 1941 2.95 1.24 o 15 47577

1964* 374 3791 32.64 10 15 2.04 1.86 023 o 15 8872

1965 2288 52.2] 49.28 789 032 003 o 18 13279

1960 330 10.35 345 I 10 003 1824

1967 9.U9 11.24 1637 165 025 001 3863

1908 0.61 31.44 20.07 555 030 0.04 5800

1969** 003 6.13 1102 0.97 0.02 001 1818

1970 1228 5009 3.27 0.61 6625

1971 12.07 22.60 916 1.54 0.16 45.53

1972 2938 4688 48.65 961 0.52 135.03

1973 566 11736 24.80 5.96 15378

1974 1080 231.64 2.46 244.90

1975 9730 5.70 1.01 104UI

1976 51.22 33092 13.25 1.07 39646

1977 4.90 120.18 3918 700 0.03 0.04 171.33

1978 2636 2464 1.10 52.10

1979 0.29 48 I I 2749 252 7842

198U U50 4725 11.95 3.15 032 005 63.23

1981 030 4890 1677 1.90 0.37 6823

1982 8.40 4928 9.63 67.31

1983 585 281.97 11.92 0.24 024 30022

1984 659 86.22 57.12 820 256 160.70

* 1955-04 data from I jchulsun (1975).

** 1965-69 data from database uscd by Ahrenholz et al. (1987).

to 8) were also taken by Virginia vessels in the South Atlantic area

after commencement of the North Carolina fall fishery, but they

1l)0 were processed in Reedville. In both instances the fish in

question were assigned to catches for the South Atlantic area. That

they were taken in November and December demonstrates the

recent tendency of vessels based in Virginia to fish as far south as

Cape Hatteras and as late as December.

The number of vessels engaged in the fishery in the South

Atl&ntic area remained fairly constant through the 1970s, reaching

a high of 14 vessels in IY75 (Table 5). After 1981 the number of

active vessels declined to 6 in 1984. primarily due to closure of the

facility at Southport. Similarly. nominal effort was fairly stable in

the South Atlantic area during the IY70s, averaging 243 vessel

weeks annually between 1972 and 1979 (Table 6). By 1980 nominal effort declined, and in 1984 only 96 vessel weeks of effort

were expended. CPUE in the area increased gradually through the

1970s and peaked at 331 mt/vessel week in 1981 (Table 7), a

n:cord for the South Atlantic. By 1984 CPUE declined to 198

mt/vcssel week.

9

North Carolina fall fishery

During the 1960s annual landings of Atlantic menhaden in the

North Carolina fall fishery averaged about 53,000 mt per year

(Table 3). Between 1970 and 1976 annual landings declined below

20,000 mt per year, and in 1973 only 2,400 mt were landed. By

1977 landings improved, and through 1984 landings approximated

pre-I970 levels. Landings of 68,700 mt in 1984 were the laroest

since 1966. b

Catches from the North Carolina fall fishery during the 1970s

were characterized by a paucity of age-3 and older fish (spawners)

and by increasing harvests of age-O fish (Table 12). The year

classes of 1977, 1979, and 1981 were probably the strongest since

the late 1960s (Ahrenholz et at. 1987), and they contributed significantly as age-3 + fish in the North Carolina fall fishery in 1981-

84.

Starting in 1974, vessels in the North Carolina fall fishery began

harvesting large numbers of age-O fish (Table 12), and in 1979 a

record estimated number of 1,478.0 million age-O Atlantic menhaden were caught. This represented 91 C;c of the total estimated

number of fish caught in the North Carolina fall fishery that year.
Table 10

Estimated numbers (06 ) of Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels in the

Chesapeake Ba) area, 1955-84.

Age Iyrl

Ye"r 0 4 0 8-10 Tot"1

1955 12.18 33424 38292 1152 5.17 043 746.-\6

1956 67437 06.90 049 741.76

1957 1.92 1.05735 176.58 3 '0 022 0.08 1.239 37

1958 048 49088 561.70 5.25 090 039 1.059f>f>

1959 10.71 2.12456 281 10 1957 243594

1960 14258 66694 2.M 812.16

1961 32780 214.20 2043~ 032 I) If> 746.82

1962 42.-\0 20408 370.64 32.78 35.29 027 68546

1963 51.54 31864 192.83 4543 075 60919

1964;' 227 28 17058 314.05 27.90 O.M 74045

1965 68.18 485.23 10450 1352 032 0.08 f> 71 82

1966 214.14 22072 21035 1065 0.65 o 17 650f>9

1907 662 21 181 14374 18.-\2 0.27 38086

1968 4144 1~841 23233 2581 038 009 44847

19f>W* 4639 6540 12532 15-,87 097 253.95

1970 2.74 500.14 22602 21.51 1.07 007 751.56

1971 40.03 90 16 290.58 45.53 4.27 0.87 471.44

1972 o 17 598.71 27~.29 92u7 4.34 048 97065

1973 18.77 426112 714.71 2.12 028 1.101.90

1974 16.67 42600 40611 Q:, 851.79

1975 4401 32169 549.49 566 020 921.05

1970 14.43 881.59 678.0f> 2.40 0.52 1.577.00

1977 430 51885 1.42231 450 1l.09 1.950.11

1978 0.12 337.24 1.08006 36.71 1.454 12

1979 5.15 453.21l 921.80 2238 1.41l2 52

1980 7.79 83839 1.09217 74.20 3.33 2.015.88

1981 7095 261.76 1.027.91 3095 I 01 1.39258

1982 808 518.87 1.31873 16661 2.01228

1983 167.24 140.35 1.511.17 IIU5 043 1.83004

1984 18694 45087 693.16 8807 1.41904

* 1955-64 data from Nicholson (1975).

** 1965-69 data from d"tabase used by Ahrenhol7. et al. ( 1987).

Over 1,000 million age-O fish were taken again in 1981 and numbers harvested in 1984 approximated this level.

During the late 1960s poor prospects of fish abundance in the

North Carolina fall fishery contributed te a decline in the number

cf active vessels in the fishery (Nicholson 1975). The number of

vessels dropped sharply to only 5 in 1'172 and 4 in 1'173 (Table 5).

As catches improved during the late 1970s, the number of vessels

increased to as many as 19 in 1980 and 1981, but then fell to 12

by 1984. Nominal effort increased from 1972 to 1984, approaching

the ISO-vessel-week level twice (1979 and 19~3) (Table 6), and

generally fluctuated about the 100-vessel-week level during the

remainder of the period. CPUE increased throughout the late 1970s

and early 1980s and exceeded levels observed during the early

1960s (Table 7); in 1984 a record high for the North Carolina fall

fishery of 545 mt/ves~el week was recorded.

10

Length and Weight Statistics _

Simple mean lengths and weights for Atlantic menhaden sampled

from 1972 to 1984 are presented by area caught, quarter, and age

(Appendix Tables 2-13). Nicholson (1975) reported that the mean

length of age 0-4 fish sampled at various ports increased through

the mid- to late 1960s. He concluded that these changes were

significant and indicated increased growth rates over the period.

During the 1970s and early 1980s a reversal of this trend was

observed. In all areas for 1972-84, the mean length of age 1-4 fish

tended to decline. This trend is most apparent when coastwide

annual mean lengths and weights at age are summarized (Appendix

Tables 7 and 13); the mean length of age 1-4 Atlantic menhaden

declined about 30-60 mm over the period. Because fish weight

varies as a power of length, the decline in mean weight over the

same period is even more striking and holds important ramifications regarding stock biomass and yield from the fishery (Vaughan

and Smith 1986a). The mean weights of Atlantic menhaden age

1-4 in 1972 were 128,330,547, and 631 g, respectively, but in

1984 mean weights for respective age groups were 78, 149, 28~,

and 405 g (Appendix Table 13).
Table 11

Estimated numbers (106) of Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels in the South

Atlantic area, 1955-84.

Age ryr)

Yc"r 0 3 4 6 8-10 ,,,wi

1955 () 51 292.~4 113.04 1347 11.38 437 24

1Q 50 1.147.8~ 10.91 n.89 1.159.~R

1957 1\.21 117.91 231.56 042 3~316

1958 1.47 31520 13539 ~.25 026 460.57

1959 1.203.39 4~96 0.X4 i.07319

1900 1.\.86 111.84 273. 73 39943

1%1 490.44 74.% 5436 030 620.06

1962 2.21 29755 250.30 181 551.~7

19(,3 17~.22 220.55 0.33 39910

1964* 166 51022 18455 69643

1965 377 200.64 194.08 033 005 3%.R6

1'166 254.RO 67.29 050 32259

1907 033 329 15 63.81 0.1I3 393.31

1468 037 212.14 204.96 0.52 41~.19

191>9** 1I.05 258 12 113.58 032 372.06

1970 336.96 16448 50144

1971 128 14583 195.62 003 34275

1972 33444 16086 o 17 49547

1973 148.18 212.50 007 36069

1974 151 28 24365 082 395.74

1975 311.62 335.17 4.15 079 651.72

1976 785 59879 18582 79247

1977 337.97 48429 1.89 824 14

1978 162.61 489.21 9682 042 74906

1979 9.25 87.19 477.36 13.09 586.90

1nO 036 376.81 27907 26.04 0.29 682.57

1981 42.03 190.57 54789 99.07 U.12 87969

1982 433 25885 286.95 10418 076 0.07 655.15

1983 96.74 165.09 27443 19.87 1143 1.74 046 56976

1984 137.69 156.02 ~3.83 10.05 38759

* 1955-64 data from Nicholson (1975).

** 1965-69 dara from database used by Ahrenholz et al. (1987).

An explanation for this phenomenon may be threefuld (ASMFC

In I: Ahrenholz et al. I(87), but it is unknown whether these

interpretations are independent of, or confound, one another. First,

Atlantic menhaden are protracted spawners and prevailing environmental factors may favor success of the later (late winter or spring)

spawn. rather than the earlier (fall or winter) spawn. Thus, the

later-spawned young-of-the-year would have a shorter first growing season and presumably would enter the fishery as age-I and -2

fish at a smaller size than would fall or early winter spawned fish.

Second. since 1970 the center of fishing activity has shifted southward frum the North Atlantic and the Middle Atlantic areas to the

Che!--apeake Bay and the South Atlantic areas. Since Atlantic menhaden stratify along the East Cua!--t of the U.S. by size and age

during summer, with larger individuals of a given age elass occurring in more northern latitudes (Nicholson 1971 b), the fishery has

concentrated fishing in locations of smaller individuals of a given

age class. Third, Atlantic menhaden exhibit density-dependent

growth. The relatively strong year classes of 1975, 1979, 1981,

and 1983 proJuceJ smaller-than-average-sized fish at a given age.

Figures 2 anJ 3 show this size differential of sampled fish at age

for the 1967 and 1983 fishing seasons. These length frequency

II

distributions portray not only size differences at age between years,

but also geographical size differences at age within years.

Summary _

The purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden declined through

the 1960s when fish became scarce in the northern half of their

range due to poor recruitment and truncation of the stuck's age

structure. During the mid- to late IY70s recruitment improved and

the age structure broadened. As fish again became available in

New England waters, up to four reduction plants processed Atlantic menhaden in the North Atlantic fishing area during the

mid-1970s. However, by the late 1970s and early 1980s local

factory-odor abatement problems forced several of these plants to

close. [n the Middle Atlantic area only one plant processed fish

through the 1970s, but it closed after 1981. [n the Chesapeake Bay

area the number of active plants and the size of the fleet remained

fairly stable through the early 1980s. Beginning in 1983 the

Chesapeake Bay fleet increased its efforts in the Middle Atlantic

and North Atlantic areas and abo along the North Carolina coast
Table 12

Estimated numbers (106 ) of Atlantic menhaden by age caught by purse seine vessels during the

North Carolina fall fishery. 1955-H4.

Age Iyr)

Yc-Jr 0 4 0 8-10 Total

1955 74232 .1076 51J8 7.32 1671 274 0.39 o 10 851.42

1'156 36.37 6042 26.~7 3748 930 46.50 748 1.03 22561

1957 284.39 1241 23.30 1560 20n 1474 11.07 095 008 38326

1958 104.11 29.34 98.0)8 1963 7.20 860 404 248 27348

1959 0.69 6.87 35.'019 103.81 1844 5.75 609 0.78 0.54 17896

1960 5831 14.32 3876 2263 35.17 10.90 4.03 1.32 042 18586

1961 025 10.71 45.17 10190 576 1000 062 17441

1%2 6.97 0.71 17.17 761 22.10 415 1.82 050 61.03

1963 45.35 6947 61.86 2625 8.18 943 153 045 011 22263

1904* 7.165 1941 66.55 17.10 303 0.04 017 009 180M

1965 17716 3646 69.77 1050 !.57 29546

1966 13531 n.oo 11603 1570 098 340.09

1967 8316 4609 3609 2.51 020 16805

1968 11245 16.00 6858 13.66 2.59 032 21.1.59

1969** 111.69 48.78 38.80 15.96 0.55 215.79

1970 1868 2147 1834 0.81 234 004 6767

1971 31.55 15.22 10.55 1.26 041 0.04 5903

1972 5000 18.75 3.08 IKO 74.22

1973 37.21 8.68 0.10 002 4601

1974 29888 48.55 16.28 029 005 30403

1975 25463 8666 24.91 1.60 36780

1976 251.94 8027 1913 5.94 016 35744

1977 480.33 14283 48.90 441 o 13 67659

1978 457.30 16424 4249 12.14 093 0.55 683.66

1979 1.478.07 81.07 57.96 867 247 1.62823

1980 80 14 262.36 32.51 1042 9.94 254 047 404.37

1981 1.074.60 246.04 15687 1326 1.490 76

1982 10170 13.1.32 5565 1482 305 0.89 30944

1981 70044 20593 102.21 2478 17.43 084 1.051.63

1984 96959 410.69 20.13 3310 2337 7.17 0.17 1.464.41

*1955-64 data from Nicholson 11975).

** 1965-69 data from dalabase used by Ahrenhol7 el al ( 1987).

during late fall and early winter. In the South Atlantic area. the

number of active plants remained relatively unchanged through the

early 1980s. although a major facility closed after 1983: consequently. fleet size and landings also declined. Participation in the

North Carolina fall fishery increased through the 1970s and early

1980s as the prospects for greater catches improved.

As the Atlantic menhaden stock has rebuilt. landings increased

trom 161,600 mt in 1969 to 418.600 mt in 1983; coastwide esti12

mates of numbers of fish landed increased from 969.1 million in

197\ to almost 4.000 million in 1981. Through the 19705 and early

1980s greater numbers of age-O menhaden were harvested during

the North Carolina fall fishery. In turn. age-O fish made increasingly greater contributions to annual coastwide estimates of numbers of Atlantic menhaden landed. Also as the stock has rebuilt, the

mean length of sampled fish ages 1-4 declined 30-60 mm. while

the mean weight of the same age classes declined 50-250 g.
North Atlantic

Area 30

20

30

> Age 4 n=43

() 20

Z 10 16 Age 3 n~125

w 30 10

:::J Age 2 n=47 0 20

W 6 10 16 20 26 30 36

a: 10 Age 1

u. Age 0

#. 6 10 16 20 26 30 36

Middle Atlantic

Area 20

>

30 10

() 20 Age 4 n= 108

Z 6 10 16 36

w n=952 10 Age 3

:::J 30

0 20 Age 2 n=406

w 6 10 16 36

a: Age 1 n=85

u. 10

#. Age 0

6 10 16 20 26 30 36

Chesapeake Bay

Area 20

> 30 10

() Age 4 z 20

W 6 10 16 36

:::J 30 10 Age 3 n=379

0

w 20 Age 2 n= 2,294

a: 6 10 36 U. 10 Age 1 n~3,203

#. Age 0

10 16 20 26 30

South Atlantic

Area

30 10

>

() ~Age 4

Z 26 30 36 W 30 Age 3

:::J

0 20 Age 2 n=990

w 26 30 36 a: 10 Age 1 n= 4,699 u.

#. Age 0

10 16 20 26 30 36

N.C. Fall

Fishery 20

30 10

> 20 ~Age 4 ()

Z 5 20 36

W 30 10 Age 3 n:::293

:::J Age 2 n=405 0 20

W 5 10 36

a: 10 Age 1 n= 702

u.

#. Age 0

5 10 15 20 25 30 35

FORK LENGTH (cm)

Figure 2

Length frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the purse seine fishery during 1967.

13
Figure 3

Length frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the purse seine fishery during 1983.

14
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 Atlantic menhaden landings.

We thank all past and present members of the Menhaden Program

at the Beaufort Laboratory who contributed to the Atlantic menhaden database. We are especially indebted to Charles W. Krouse,

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

his helpful suggestions and encouragement during preparation of

the manuscript. and Beverly W. Harvey who showed exceptional

patience and skill in preparing our multitudinous tables. Sheryan P.

Epperly. John V. Merriner, James R. Waters, and an anonymous

reviewer for the Technical Repurt series made valuable comments

on various drafts of the manuscript.

The authors wish to dedicate this report to the memory of Robert

B. Chapoton. who served as a Branch Leader in the Menhaden

Program at the Beaufort Laboratory until his untimely death in

May 19~5. Bob's career with the National Marine Fisheries Service (formerly the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries) spanned almost three decades. During the latter half of his tenure Bob maintained Atlantic and gulf menhaden catch and effort data, annually

formulated quantitative forecasts of menhaden landings, and

served as scientific liaison to the menhaden industry and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions. During the

late 11)70s and early 1980s. most of Bob's boundless energies were

directed toward developing state management options for Atlantic

menhaden. Boh's contacts in the menhaden industry and fisheries

management circles were also counted among his friends. His wit,

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

15

Citations _

AHRENHOLZ. D. w.. w. R. NELSON, and S P EPPERLY

1987. Population and fishery characteristics of Atlantic menhaden. Brcl'(Wr1ia

(vrannus. Fi,h. Bull., U.S. X5:56~-6UO

ASMFC (ATLANTIC STATES MARiNE: FISHERIES COMMISSION).

1981. Fishery management plan fur Atlantic menhaden. Atl. States Mar.

Fish. Comm., Fish. Manage. Rep. 2. 134 p.

CHESTER. A. J.

1984. Sampling stati>!ics in the Atlantic menhaden fishery. U.S. Dep. Commer.. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 9, 16 p.

JUNE. F. C

1961 Age and size compusition of the menhaden catch along the Atlantic coast

of the United States. 1~57. with a brief review of the commercial fishery. U.S Fish Wildl. Serv., Spec. Sci Rep Fish. 373. 39 p.

JUNE, F. C. and W R. NICHOLSON

1964. Age and size composition of the menhaden catch along the Atlantic coast

c,f the United States. 1958. with a brief review of the commercial fishery. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv .. Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 446. 40 p.

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

IY59. Age and size composition of the menhaden catch alung the Atlantic Cuast

of the United States, 1952-55, with a hrief review of the commercial fish

ery U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv .. Spec. Sci. Rep Fish 317,65 p.

I'JbO. 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.

NICHOLSON. W. R.

1971 a Changes in catch and effort in the Atlantic menhaden purse-seine fi,hery 1940-68. Fish. Bull., U.S. 69765-781

IY71 b. Coastal movements of Atlantic menhaden as inferred from changes in

age and length distributions. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 100:708-716.

1975. Age and size composition uf lhe Atlantic menhaden. Bre\'()Qrtia ryrannus. purse seine catch. 1903-71. with a brief discussion of the fishery. U.S.

Dep. Commer.. NOAA Tcch. Rep. NMFS Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 684. 28 p.

NICHOLSON, W. R., and J. R. HIGHAM. Jr.

1964a. Age and si7e composition of the menhaden catch along the Atlantic

coast of the United States, 1959. with a brief review of the cummercial

fishery. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 478. 34 p.

1964b. Age and size cumposition of the 1960 menhaden catch along the U.S.

Atlantic coast. wilh a brief review of the commcrical fishery. U.S. Fish

Wildl. Serv.. Spec. Sci Rep. Fish. 479, 41 P

1965. Age and size composition of the menhaden catch along the Atlantic coast

uf the United States. 1961. with a brief review of the cummercial fishery. US. Fish Wildl. Serv.. Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 495. 28 p

1966. Age and size composition of the menhaden catch along lhe Atlantic COqS!

of the United States. 1962. with a brief review of the commercial fishery. U.S. Fish Wildl Serv .. Spec. Sci. Rep Fish 527.24 p.

SCHAAF. W E.. and G R. HUNTSMAN.

1972. Effects of fishing on the Atlantic menhaden stock: 1955-1969. Trans.

Am. Fish. Soc. 101:290-297.

VAUGHAN. D S., and J. W. SMITH.

1986a. A siock as~essmen( of the Atlantic menhaden, Bre\'uortia fyraf1llll5,

fishery. Unpubl. manuscr.. Southeast Fish. Cent. Beaufort Lab .. Nat. Mar.

Fish. Serv .. NOAA. Beaufort. NC 28516-9722, 72 p.

.IY86b. Management optIons for the Atlanlic menhaden. Bret'uortill tyramw.'i,

·fishery. Unpubl. manuscr.. Southeast Fish. Cent. Beaufort Lab., Nat. Mar.

Fish. Serv .. NOAA, -Beaufort, NC 28516-9722. 33 p.
Appendix Table 1

Quarterly time increments used in

subsequent appendices for Atlantic

menhaden.

Ending dale of

Quarter first week last week

>2/29 <6/01

>5/30 <8130

3 >8/29 <11/29

4 >11/28 <2129*

*February of next calendar year. but

same fishing season.

Appendix Table 2

Mean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the North Atlantic area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Quarter I ()uart~r 2 Quarter 3

Age Iyr) Age Iyr) Age Iyr)

Year 4 4 6 3 4 6

1972 297 319 320 325

197.1 252 303 338 275 311 326 332

1974 253 294 .135 .124 263 .100 .114 338

1975 244 246 282 .101 326 333 262 282 .1 13

1976 220 198 240 278 297 .110 252 288 .101

1977 246 265 277 287 290 267 280 294 298 .130

1978 211 221 240 217 240 286 295 238 258 292 302

1979 207 267 191 230 262 276 295 241 264 282 .116 .11.1

1980 228 240 240 2.19 260 274 284 294 267 284 290 294 .104

1981 202 229 2T!. 28.1 220 257 284 294 299 255 274 292 30.1 .1 17

1982 202 2.10 271 .114 217 238 270 297 302 .1 17 23.1 24.1 283

1983 219 246 265 293 .100 241 262 27.1 285

1984 2.16 251 271 282 291 252 268 28.1 288

Appendix Table 3

Mean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the Middle Atlantic area by quarter and age. 1972-84.

Quarter I Quarter 2 Quarler 3

Age Iyr) Age Iyrl Age tyrl

Year 4 4 6 4

1972 299 .111 307 22.1 249 .114 .121 337 223 277 .112 .12.1

197.1 238 304 .141 233 254 295 ,'.1 I

1974 211 211 231 288 215 244 287

1975 224 224 281 307 249 279 296

1976 176 197 285 185 222 281 298 189 231 291 ,'2O

1977 237 259 281 185 224 250 273 267 322 172 234 26.1 285

1978 216 221 246 226 241 275 236 254 27.1

1979 202 231 251 265 214 24., 26.1 28 I

1980 218 244 273 296 281 202 234 258 277

1981 188 210 229 221 226 260 270 199 2.15 246 27.1 ,109

1982 181 220 23.1 179 228 238

198.1 181 17.1 207 225 185 234 254 278 288

1984 172 208 230 289 301 170 219 253 28.1

16
Appendix Table 4

Mean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the Chesapeake Bay area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Quoner I Quoner 2 Quarter 3 Quaner 4

Age Iyrl Age (yrl Age Iyr) Age(yr)

YCi.Ir 4 0 4 5 0 4 0 4

1972 197 267 305 316 344 207 284 312 315 123 201 254

197.1 17K 222 279 32.1 131 212 233 291 124 217 250

1974 124 176 221 281 136 197 233 293 128 183

I'!75 154 204 257 294 126 176 211 278 116 168 207

I'!76 15.\ 209 288 .102 164 199 278 284 128 163 210 162 204

1977 160 205 277 158 18.1 241 127 163 193 231 19U 210 275 300

1978 142 182 209 162 192 225 129 173 203 232

197'! 167 194 229 174 198 223 133 170 205 237

1980 195 212 170 196 212 220 124 165 204 225 229 122 156

1981 177 198 128 176 189 206 249 129 176 202 226 237

1982 160 180 19.1 168 193 204 140 181 206 229

198.1 161 181 198 174 194 206 200 126 186 209 211 118

1984 158 184 207 11.1 171 197 215 115 164 203 233

Appendix Table 5

Mean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the South Atlantic area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Quone .. I Quoner 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

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

Year 4 4 5 6 0 4 0 4 6 8

1472 169 198 160 201 286 174 204

1973 151 185 165 193 223 195 210

1974 1.18 214 284 177 218 262 183 228

1975 159 197 241 161 191 236 311 175 204

1976 159 183 [53 201 96 165 216

1977 115 182 135 190 264 160 190

1978 126 170 200 280 137 184 203 214 145 197 203

1979 1.15 174 219 153 185 205 89 175 202 230

1980 122 176 1.15 18.1 200 115 147 205 224 251

1981 154 171 202 141 187 204 209 92 152 198 216

1982 135 171 191 143 179 19.1 210 275 93 148 191 203

198.1 125 160 198 197 141 173 200 222 134 146 188 206 205 287 123 268 275 284 278 329

1984 1.10 169 155 185 205 103 165 194 209 115 142

17
Appendix Table 6 Appendix Table 7

:\-Iean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled during the North Mean fork length (mm) of Atlantic menhaden sampled coastwide by age,

Carolina fall fishery by quarter and age. 1972-R4, 1972-84.

l,)uaner 3 l,)uaner 4 Age (yr)

Age (yr) Age Iyr)

YCdr 0 4 6

Year 0 4 0 4 6

1'172 II') 194 2b1 310 319 335

1972 182 2M 31.' 118 168 262 314 1973 131 202 220 302 334 ,32

1973 133 210 :N4 307 1974 123 184 227 293 328 327

1974 176 120 158 263 287 NI 1975 122 163 215 278 304 326 333

1')75 134 1611 218 261 118 153 229 276 1'176 107 160 215 285 298 310

1976 113 173 216 105 15'1 253 291 318 1977 lib 151 199 260 280 287 314

1977 88 167 220 116 Ib2 224 267 298 1978 120 155 196 2.11; 288 298

1978 1118 14(, 121 171 221 275 297 302 1l)79 III 167 205 25b 278 2'18 313

1979 85 197 217 2.,5 116 183 226 261 281 19811 115 147 201 257 27') 290 296

1980 116 159 214 223 240 114 147 212 283 291 298 297 1981 112 15'1 191\ 237 284 295 304

1981 117 171 215 ~20 1m 159 204 1982 111\ 160 194 21b 21\8 297 296 317

1982 152 213 225 112 Ib2 222 254 276 296 1983 124 154 198 243 269 294 .lll() 329

1983 140 Ib3 221 229 119 151 218 266 277 313 1984 112 161 198 248 277 286 294

1984 113 152 213 246 110 144 225 272 279 286 299

18
Appendix Table 9

Mean ",ei~ht (g) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the Middle Atlantic area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

<.)uartcr I Quarter 2 Quarter 3

Age Iyrl Age Iyr) Age Iyr)

Y~ar 4 4 5 6 4

1972 558 582 583 205 316 632 686 753 210 427 607 685

1973 264 557 742 246 318 500 678

1974 186 176 236 442 188 294 450

1975 219 237 423 535 302 417 480

1976 83 147 427 131 223 422 531 129 247 498 730

1977 291 36b 465 12\ 222 320 407 395 694 103 248 342 437

1978 198 212 295 218 271 404 259 330 406

1979 150 229 303 365 193 287 358 397

1980 195 299 397 516 440 153 253 329 409

1981 127 168 208 214 231 3bO 372 140 255 295 379 537

1982 103 202 256 105 237 265

1983 98 89 160 223 125 237 293 387 444

1984 93 176 261 497 584 111 221 328 432

Appendix Table 10

Mean ",ei~ht (g) of Atlantic menhaden sampled from the Chesapeake Bay area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Quartt.:r I Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

Age (yrl Age Iyr) Age Iyrl Age (yrl

Year 4 0 4 0 4 0 4

1972 134 345 488 551 669 149 403 524 569 31 140 290

1973 100 189 375 480 40 178 235 542 35 182 275

1974 30 104 198 384 45 137 231 415 39 118

1975 67 153 308 465 35 93 160 377 25 78 146

1976 63 164 353 416 7X 142 350 321 36 77 167 76 166

1977 68 ISO 345 69 105 238 36 76 133 237 132 172 405 629

1978 48 109 170 78 129 214 38 95 160 252

1979 89 143 215 95 148 232 40 88 167 284

1980 127 174 84 134 172 198 34 83 158 221 233 31 68

1981 105 138 42 93 122 161 247 37 92 148 221 285

1982 74 105 128 83 129 156 53 113 168 242

1983 69 1111 130 91 126 155 149 35 116 161 172 26

1984 65 106 158 23 94 145 193 27 90 162 254

19
Appendix Table II

Mean weigh I (g) of Allanlic menhaden sampled from the South Atlantic area by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Quarter I Quarler 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

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

Yt:ar 4 4 6 U 4 5 0 4 6

1972 77 125 70 134 32X 94 158

1973 61 114 82 127 222 1'<) 18'

1974 36 166 326 % 170 282 117 211

1975 65 123 205 73 113 202 458 97 iSS

1'0176 65 99 56 i39 14 71 169

1977 24 100 41 119 378 7'J 127

197X 32 X7 148 359 43 107 147 167 51 142 162

197'1 44 'J6 180 65 ill 151 II <)5 149 216

1980 30 9b 40 112 145 25 53 11i5 224 301

1981 62 X4 139 46 117 150 141 12 51> i44 203

1982 44 91 122 55 105 136 16X 293 13 60 134 104

1983 34 74 135 117 49 93 145 195 42 51> i 23 174 177 430 30 337 382 427 465 700

1984 39 X5 08 112 150 16 8U 141 183 22 46

Appendix Table 12 Appendix Table 13

Mean weight (g) of Allanlic menhaden sampled during the North Carolina Mean weight (g) of Allantic menhaden sampled coaslwide by age, t972-84.

fall fishery by quarter and age, 1972-84.

Age Iyr)

Quarter 3 Quarter 4

Age Iyr) Age Iyr) Year 0 4 6

Year 0 4 0 4 6 1972 28 128 330 547 631 688

1973 40 156 196 535 688 674

1972 liS 349 5.17 27 7X 342 545 1974 31 116 212 453 1i07 587

1973 41 168 457 581 1975 30 77 187 405 515 691 654

1974 92 2X 62 324 437 476 1976 20 69 194 445 518 569

1975 39 70 179 305 2X 59 224 376 1977 25 62 149 365 459 513 597

1976 25 87 176 IX 66 310 485 698 1'0178 28 1i8 142 260 467 513

1977 10 85 202 25 72 205 372 511 1979 21 84 167 326 420 504 708

1978 21 52 29 85 193 385 505 550 1980 25 57 152 351 441 484 542

1979 9 151 193 239 23 98 207 330 415 1981 23 6<) 140 265 443 490 498

1980 27 74 192 214 267 24 55 190 427 467 499 488 1982 28 79 138 200 388 487 461 549

1981 22 84 185 203 17 66 147 1983 33 61i 141 272 369 473 506 700

1982 68 194 222 23 74 217 344 420 49X 1984 24 78 149 288 405 450 4X8

1983 48 75 213 237 28 57 197 359 402 6U2

19R4 24 70 192 287 21 51 216 387 424 461 514

20
Appendix Table 14

Coastwide estimated numbers of Atlantic menhaden (lOJ) caught by purse seine ,'essels by age, quarter, and year,

1965-84 (quarters were summed before roundin~ to thousands).

Age Iyr)

Quaner 0 4 6 8-10

1965

I 24.594 36,482 4.981 1.527 59 I <I

2 2.044 472.773 249.551 49.657 6.896 1.238 897 470 26

3 85.009 223.273 88.296 17.099 3.167 514 318 276 39

4 162.066 24.566 47.068 6.018 579

Totals 249.119 745.206 421.397 77 .755 12.168 1.811 1.215 746 65

1966

I 21.387 9.688 352 123

2 13.171 324.656 173.120 9.844 1.999 287 54 53 17

3 203.273 177.016 176.851 15.817 1.768 73 55 55 18

4 133.008 27.760 44,477 5.686

Totals 349,453 550.820 404.136 31.699 3.890 360 108 108 36

1967

I 106.046 9.867

305.108 151.252 20.997 1.953 252 12

3 6.949 154.262 77.825 29,403 1.020 36

4 67.788 26.722 22.375 2.117 201

Totals 6.949 633.20.1 265.667 72.775 5.090 489 12

1968

I 67.978 73.278 445

216 209,463 290,789 32,421 5.096 263 45

3 41.591 90.757 144.930 24.796 4.318 538 14

4 112,451 9.166 29.954 8,024 1.261 182

Totals 154.258 377.364 538.951 65.686 10.675 983 58

1969

I 41.580 15,601

2 2.265 218,702 165,668 18,064 3.6lJ9 150 9

3 56.334 82,440 72.814 16,993 1,279

4 99.528 29.607 30.225 12.753 554

Totals 158.127 372.328 284.309 47.810 5,442 150 9

1970

I 70.218 50.798 909

2 562.968 286.132 18,646 614

3 6.823 228,440 120.291 9,458 1,991 73

4 14.595 9.225 10.704 3,621 1,414 39

Totals 21,418 870.851 473,924 32.634 4,019 112

1971

I 7.003 36.787 265 12

2 137,410 324.056 56.594 10,050 947

3 41.781 113.963 153.849 30.050 7.370 1.524

4 31.073 4.912 9,623 1,377 412 41

Totals 72.854 263.288 524.315 88.286 17.844 2.512

1972

I 30.736 21.186 662 83

2 444.020 336.688 128.158 13,497 1.675

3 454.230 127.993 43.010 5.541 186

4 50.162 52.283 2.602 1.235

Totals 50.162 981.269 488,469 173.065 19.121 1.861

21
Appendix Table 14 (Cont'd)

Coastwide estimated numbers of Atlantic menhaden (103) caught by purse seine vessels by age, quarter, and year,

1965-84 (quarters were summed before rounding to thousands).

Age lyr)

Quarter 0 4 8-10

1973

I 20.392 34.267 I

129.110 '132.303 3U.15<) 5.466

3 II.n3 370.298 182.392 8.453 1.538 343

4 44.196 68.671 3.974 17

Totals 55.979 588.471 1.152.936 38.630 7.004 343

1974

I 54.309 4'1.14'1 369

5.263 265.781 815.3QO 40.695 llill 1.196

3 14.874 235.642 105.800 7.234 838 149

4 295.415 30.946 15.720 288 46

Totals 315.552 636.678 985.969 48.586 2.4'15 U45

1975

I 28.999 102.153 1.712

346.071 761.U03 35.817 5.508 200 101

3 69.478 243.243 197.866 11.5'14 1.120

4 229.162 101.650 25.505 1.122

Totals 298.640 719.963 1.086.527 50.245 6.628 200 101

1976

I 108.892 104.100 55

2 848.021 921.916 24.668 7.U50 277

3 33.481 594.779 297.570 17.306 741

4 240.750 60.268 17.499 5.937 158

TOlals 274.231 1.611.960 1.341.085 47.966 7.94'1 277

1977

I 123.384 231.520 15.203 4.963

2 343.760 1.188.714 49.055 9.146 1.230 IIlI

3 4.341 394.103 620.469 14.608 3.473 16° 12

4 48U.282 143.291 41.062 4,594 220

Totals 484.623 1.004.538 2.018.765 83,460 17,802 1.405 113

1978

I 30,019 124,086 22,954 376

250,559 1,209,137 180,411 18,159 2,281

3 131.037 270,301 295,198 42,611 5.721 641

4 326,376 113,209 42,490 12,145 6.'130 555

Totals 457.413 664,088 1,670,911 258,121 31,186 3.477

1979

I 15.628 144.138 5.877

2 1.223 141.879 1.075.501 71,567 12,619 1,325

3 15.012 385,538 339.901 42,980 6,671 145 93

4 1.476,227 80,091 43,745 7.5U2 2,408

Totals 1,492,462 623,136 1.603,285 127,926 21,758 1,470 93

1980

I 127 ,442 84.282 13.128 205

2 349,624 1,020.059 145,881 36.675 6.817 574

3 7.967 738.873 323.598 47,392 22,431 4,998 398

4 80,323 262.119 30.295 16.311 9,917 2,541 466

Totals 88,290 1,478.058 1.458,234 222,712 69,228 14,356 1.438

22
Appendix Table 14 (Cont'd)

Coastwide estimaled numbers of Atlantic menhaden (103) caught by purse seine vessels by age, quarter, and year,

1965-84 (quarlers were summed before rounding to lhousands).

Age (yr)

Quarter 0 4 6 7 8-10

1981

I R.180 141.578 42.447 1.822 596

2 558 208.558 1.192.587 139.655 40.144 13,444 1.047

3 19.1.442 308.693 426.211 40.099 5.505 1.333 227

4 993.574 17.1.234 51.086

Totals 1.187.574 698.665 1.811.462 222.201 47.471 15.373 1.274

1982

I 25.961 204.151 76.186 279 93

364.514 1.173.062 228.657 10.255 4.800 528 321

3 12,411 398.258 309.170 60.273 2.741

4 101.697 130.704 53.167 14.549 3,053 886

TOlals 114.IOR 919.437 1.739.550 379.665 16.328 5,779 528 321

1983

I 8.949 219.438 2.705 610

180.174 1.459.857 56.347 12,459 1.661 229

.1 222.732 141.717 553.845 20.111 6.874 2.049

4 741.683 186.377 59.924 35.184 27 .426 1.298 462

Totals 964,415 517.217 2.293.064 114.347 47,369 5.008 229 462

1984

I 12.656 59.083 8.249

2 5.652 339.075 539,480 165.027 19.369 5.707 140

3 279.864 21 1.382 278.884 65.177 7.599 2.330

4 1.008.707 461.052 14.642 33.048 23.371 7.170 372

Totals 1.294.223 1.024.165 892,089 271.501 50.339 15.207 512

GPO 591-131/81004

23