. . . Southeast Menhaden and Butterfish Fisheries 



50 



. . . Atlantic Menhaden 



ship as part of an internal-waters process- 

 ing agreement); and New Brunswick, Can. 



The stock collapse in the 1960's drove 

 fishing effort southward to North Carolina 

 and Virginia where menhaden are gener- 

 ally younger and smaller than those in the 

 north. Overutilization owing to "growth 

 overfishing" (catching too many fish be- 



fore they grow to full size) has been a prime 

 management concern for this stock, but 

 spawning stock size also has remained low 

 since 1962. A management plan written in 

 1982 by the ASMFC was not adopted by 

 all states, and the Commission is rewriting 

 it. 



Gulf Menhaden 



Gulf menhaden are found from Mexico's 

 Yucatan Peninsula to Tampa Bay, Fla. 

 They form large surface schools that ap- 

 pear in the nearshore Gulf waters from 

 April to November. Although no extensive 

 coastwide migrations are known, there is 

 evidence that older fish move toward the 

 Mississippi River Delta. Gulf menhaden 

 may live to age 5, but most of those landed 

 are ages 1 and 2. 



In 1 990, active Gulf menhaden reduction 

 plants were located in Moss Point, Miss., 

 and in Empire, Dulac, Morgan City, Intra- 

 coastal City, and Cameron, La. 



Historically, landings rose from the be- 

 ginning of the fishery, after World War II, to 

 a peak of 982,800 t in 1984 (Fig. 10-1). 



Landings were generally high during the 

 middle 1980's (greater than 800,000 t for 

 1982-87), but they have declined steeply 

 from 894,200 t to 528,300 t between 1987 

 and 1990. The commercial value of Gulf 

 menhaden for 1985-89 averaged $66.2 

 million/year. 



Because this species is short lived and 

 has a high natural mortality, "growth over- 

 fishing" has not been a major concern. 

 Estimates of maximum spawning potential 

 have generally been high (over 30%). Man- 

 agement coordinated through the GSMFC 

 consists of a 6-month fishing season (mid- 

 April through mid-October) and closure of 

 inside waters across the northern Gulf of 

 Mexico. 



Butterfish 



A small purse-seine fishery for butterfish is 

 developing in the Gulf of Mexico. The po- 

 tential for this fishery is significant (over 

 30,000 t), but the annual yield peaked in 



1988 at 4,800 t, and the average annual 

 yield for 1986-90 (minus 1988) was just 

 570 t (Table 10-1). 



Table 10-1— Recent average, 

 current potential, and long-term 

 potential yields in metric tons (t), 

 and status of utilization of 

 southeastern menhaden and 

 butterfish. The LTPY, CPY, and 

 RAY for the unit equals the sum 

 of the species' LTPY's, CPY's, and 

 RAYs. 



Long-term potential yield (LTPY) = 1,1 77,000 t 

 Current potential yield (CPY) = 957,000 t 



Recent average yield (RAY)' = 922,000 t 



1988-90 average 



