104 MARINE FISHERIES OF NORTH CAROLINA 



menace. There are reports from Hatteras, North Carolina, to the coast of 

 Massachusetts which graphically describe this wanton destruction. 



Bluefish are frequently governed in their migrations by the presence and 

 movements of the menhaden schools, and conversely, menhaden disappear as 

 quickly as possible with the arrival of bluefish. Bigelow and Welsh (1925) 

 say that they may actually drive menhaden from their customary grounds. 



EFFECT OF THE MENHADEN FISHERY ON OTHER FISH 



Periodically the menhaden industry becomes the object of controversy. No 

 fishery of modern times has been attacked by so many, over such a wide area, 

 so violently, and from so many angles. The agitation centers around the 

 presumed destruction of commercial food fish and sports fish, the interference 

 with the normal routes of spawning migration of all fish, the ruination of 

 sports fishing grounds. The testimony and arguments on both sides are some- 

 times bitter and violent and ordinarily are characterized by the absence of 

 exact data on which to base them. Until 1894 no recorded observations had 

 ever been made ; and since that time none has been made which has come to 

 the attention of this writer. 



In 1894 the U. S. Fish Commission put observers on two boats which 

 operated the full season from the Maine coast to Cape Lookout, North 

 Carolina. A total of 946 productive seine hauls were made, and the catch 

 recorded. In all, 60 species of fish were taken. The surface swimmers pre- 

 dominated, and of these (excluding menhaden) bluefish, alewives, shad, 

 butterfish, and mackerel were the most prominent. Some bottom dwellers 

 such as skate, cod, pollock, hake, and haddock were taken in shoal water. 



Altogether a total of 28,060,505 fish were taken among which there were 

 27,965,755 menhaden and 93,893 fish commonly considered food fish. Of 

 these food fish 86,000 were alewives, which are also used for oil and fertilizer; 

 and 6,990 more prized and high priced food fish. Of these latter there were 

 2,274 bluefish, 1,816 shad, 800 butterfish, 631 common mackerel, 150 Spanish 

 mackerel, 3 cero, 35 bonito, and 500 squeteague. Of the demersal fish, or 

 bottom dwellers, there were i cod, i pollock, 33 haddock, 40 hake, and 30 

 whiting (Smith, 1896). 



These figures have been challenged, but it is presumed that the investiga- 

 tors were competent and the ability and integrity of the author of the report 

 are beyond question. It is surprising, however, considering the range of the 

 two vessels that so few species are represented in the catch. It is also surpris- 

 ing to find that so few of the natural predators of the menhaden such as 

 sharks (388), bluefish, and squeteague were taken, although it should be 

 borne in mind that the predators are not necessarily mixed intimately among 

 the individuals of the fish schools. If, however, the figures are taken as 

 reliable, they would mean that at this rate, in a banner year such as 1948 



