86 MARINE FISHERIES OF NORTH CAROLINA 



the small herring of Maine caused this practice to be abandoned. The prin- 

 cipal value of the fish even in those days was derived from its use as fertilizer, 

 animal food in limited amounts, oil, and bait. Large quantities of the fish were 

 used by the fishermen out of New England ports for bait and a substantial 

 trade was developed in supplying these fishermen. 



During World War II menhaden was canned in fairly large quantities, but 

 most of it was put up for export and little was consumed in this country. 



The roe of menhaden has had some acceptance as a food item, and if 

 marketed in a suitable package and properly labeled, it might offer consider- 

 able possibilities, coming as it does when other fish roe in large quantities is 

 unavailable. 



In the United States, as a source of marine animal oil, the menhaden is 

 at present pre-eminent. Marine animal oils fall into two classes: ( i ) body oils 

 from the whole animal or as by-product from offal; and (2) liver and visceral 

 oils for vitamins. The former are used for industrial purposes, such as making 

 soap, paint, and linoleum, and the latter for pharmaceutical preparations. 



In 1947 the menhaden accounted for over half the production of oil and 

 meal made from the body and waste of marine animals processed in this 

 country. With the decline of the pilchard fishery on the West Coast for the 

 past three years, it has had no close rival in the United States and Alaska 

 in this respect. For the year 1947, 8,473,371 gallons of oil valued at $11,425,- 

 497 were produced from menhaden alone. Pilchard supplied 2,103,965 gallons 

 valued at $2,677,453. Nine other species supplied 5,323,106 gallons valued 

 at $6,004, 244. As a source of oil from all marine animals, the menhaden ranks 

 high, its oil being exceeded in value only by the medicinal oils from those 

 marine animals producing viscera and liver oil of high vitamin content. The 

 fishes from which the medicinal oils come are the shark, halibut, tuna, sword- 

 fish, ling cod, and jewfish for the high potency oils, and the common cod, rose- 

 fish, burbot, skate, sole, etc., for lower potencies but larger volumes. Among 

 these fishes no single species approaches menhaden in the dollar value of oil 

 produced (see Tables i and 2). The total value of all oils produced from all 

 marine animals in the United States in 1947, including a small amount from 

 whales, was $31,750,662. Of this amount slightly over 35 per cent came from 

 menhaden. 



The largest landings of menhaden in the history of the fishery were re- 

 corded in 1948 when over one billion pounds were processed. From this 

 amount of fish, 104,058 tons of dry scrap and meal, valued at $11,560,914, 

 and 8,763,939 gallons of oil, valued at $10,132,179, were produced, with a 

 combined money value of $21,693,093. Although the year 1948 saw the 

 greatest amount of fish ever landed, the dollar value was slightly less than 

 that of 1947, which amounted to $22,336,212. The decrease is attributed to 

 a decrease in yield of oil. 



