BIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY 



91 



been recognized, since it became an organized fishery, as one of the most 

 important sources of animal food and marine animal oils, and the world 

 demand for fish meal seems to be insatiable. It appears likely to maintain its 

 relative position both in the State and in the nation. 



Table 3 gives the total quantities and values of the national landings and 

 of the landings of North Carolina: 



TABLE 3 



Annual Landings of Menhaden for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and 

 for North Carolina for the Period 1940- 1948 



In spite of this contribution to the economics of the fishing industry, and 

 hence to the general economy of those seaboard states where it constitutes 

 an important fishery, it has never been the object of serious investigation. 

 Neither the Federal Government nor the states have undertaken a study of 

 the habits of the fish, its migrations, or its potentials. Since most such studies 

 on other fishes in recent years have been directed towards conservation 

 measures, it would appear that little will be done so far as the menhaden is 

 concerned until either the cry is raised that the stock is being depleted or 

 that the menhaden fishery is threatening the life of some other fishery. 



NAMES AND CLASSIFICATIONS 



SPECIES AND THEIR SCIENTIFIC NAMES 



There are seven American species of the menhaden genus Brevoortia. Two 

 of these are South American forms, B. pectinata and B. aurea; three species 

 occur in the Atlantic Ocean, B. tyr annus, B. smithi and B. brevicaudata ; two 

 appear in the Gulf of Mexico, B. patronus and B. gunteri. There is no inter- 

 mingling by those species, which are separated geographically, and the range 



