AHRENHOLZ ET AL.: ATLANTIC MENHADEN POPULATION AND FISHERY 



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1940 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 



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YEAR OF FISHING 



Figure 3. — Contribution to landings of Atlantic menhaden by fishing area and season in thou- 

 sands of metric tons for years 1940-81. The middle Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay area landings 

 are combined after 1972 due to confidentiality restrictions. 



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1940 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 



YEAR OF FISHING 



Figure 4. — Cumulative contribution by percent total landings of Atlantic menhaden by fishing 

 area for years 1940-81. The middle Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay area values are combined after 

 1972 due to confidentiality restrictions. 



of the fishery (Fig. 6). The number of older fish in 

 the population was somewhat reduced by 1959, 

 but showed a slight recovery in 1960. The age 

 structure became markedly constricted by 1965, 

 and drastically truncated by 1967. The age struc- 

 ture appeared to begin broadening slowly about 

 1972, and appears to be continuing this trend 

 through 1981. 



Although a few individuals aged 9 and 10 years 

 were taken by the fishery during the late 1950's, 



the maximum age class with adequate represen- 

 tation for computational purposes is age 8. 

 (Hence, the age category of 8+ is taken in this 

 report to be age 8, which for most years contained 

 only age-8 fish.) Individuals age 8-H were repre- 

 sented in landings from 1955 through 1966 fish- 

 ing seasons. From 1967 through 1969 the oldest 

 fish were age 6, and likewise; 1970 through 1974, 

 1976, and 1978, age 5; and again, 1975 and 1977, 

 and 1978 through 1981, age 6. 



575 



