UNIT 10 

 SOUTHEAST MENHADEN FISHERIES 



waters from April to November. Although no ex- 

 tensive coastwide migrations are known, some 

 evidence suggests that older fish move toward the 

 Mississippi River delta. Gull menhaden may live 

 to age 5. but most ot those landed are ages 1 and 

 2. In 1 998, active Gull menhaden reduction plants 

 were located in Moss Point, Miss., and in Empire, 

 Morgan City, Intracoastal City, and Cameron, La.; 

 about 50 purse-seine vessels operate in the Gulf 

 (Smith, 1991). 



Historically, landings rose after World War II 

 to a peak of 982,800 tin 1984 (Figure 10-1). Land- 

 ings were generally high during the mid 1980's 

 (greater than 800,000 t for 1982-87). but they 

 declined steeply from 894,200 t to 421,400 t be- 

 tween 1987 and 1992. During this period (1987- 

 92), the number of processing plants declined from 

 8 to 6 and vessels fell from 75 to 5L Although 

 catch per unit of effort (expressed as metric tons/ 

 vessel-ton-weeks or t/vtw) showed a similar de- 

 cline (1.48 t/vtw in 1987 to 1.03 t/vtw in 1992), 

 catch per unit ot effort is not useful as an index of 

 population abundance for menhaden. The com- 

 mercial ex-vessel revenue of Gull menhaden for 

 1994-97 averaged S66.7 million/year. Landings 

 during 1994-98 have averaged 561,000 t. Land- 

 ings in 1994 of 761,600 t were the greatest in the 

 past 10 years. 



Because Gulf menhaden has a short lite cycle 

 and a high natural mortality, growth overfishing 

 has not been a management concern (Vaughan et 

 al., 1996). Management is coordinated through 

 the Gulf States Marine Fishery Commission, and 

 consists of a 28-week fishing season (mid April 

 through 1 November) and closure of inside wa- 

 ters across the northern Cult ot Mexico. The most 

 recent revision to the Gult Menhaden Fishery 

 Management Plan was completed in 1995 (Gulf 

 Menhaden Advisory Committee, 1995). Another 

 revision is planned for 1999. 



Landings 

 (X 1.000 t) 



800 - 

 700 - 

 600 - 

 500 - 

 400 - 

 300 - 

 200 - 

 100 - 

 - 



Landings 

 (y 1,000 1) 



Landings 



Spawning 

 biomass 

 (X 1,000 t) 



- 400 



- 350 



- 300 



- 250 



- 200 



- 150 



- 100 



- 50 



- 



Year 



Landings 



55 60 65 



Year 



Spawning 

 biomass 

 (X 1,000 tl 



- 600 



- 600 



- 400 



- 300 



- 200 



- 100 



ISSUES 



Management Concerns 



Atlantic menhaden continue to be overfished 

 (growth overfishing), which reduces the future op- 

 portunity tor greater weight production. Of greater 

 concern is the decline in recruitment noted since 

 1989 (1988 year class). This is somewhat tempered 

 by the later high estimates for spawning stock bio- 

 mass (peaking in 1995). Additionally, social con- 



Figure 10-1 



Landings and spawning bio- 

 mass of menhaden, 1950-97, 

 In metric tons (t). Top, Atlan- 

 tic; bottom. Gulf of Mexico. 



Purse boats retrieving wings 

 of purse seine. 



