SAMPLING OF THE CATCH 



Sampling procedures followed those de- 

 scribed by June and Reintjes (1959). The 

 number of sannples taken at each port ranged 

 from 12 to 193 (table 2). The number of tons 



Table 2, —Number of samples of Atlantic 



menhaden taken from purse seine catches, 



by season and locality, 1962 



Season and locality 



SUMMER FISHERY 



Fernandina Beach, Fla 



Southport , N. C. 



Beaufort , N. C 



Reedville, Va 



Lewe s , De 1 



Port Monmouth, N.J 



Amagansett, N.Y 



Point Judith, R.I 



Gloucester, Mass 



Subtotal 



FALL FISHERY 

 Beaufort-Morehead City, N.C, 

 Total 



Samples 



Number 



36 



19 



39 



193 



169 



158 



127 



12 



13 



769 



25 

 794 



of fish landed per sample was 784 for the 

 summer fishery and 1,160 for the North Caro- 

 lina fall fishery. 



Age Composition 



The percentage age composition and the 

 calculated number of fish at each age in the 

 purse seine catches from 1955 to 1962 are 

 listed in table 3. The total number of fish 

 caught in 1962 was the smallest on record. 



Age-1 to -4 fish constituted nearly 95 per- 

 cent of the catch in 1962. Age-2 fish (1960 

 year class) contributed 39 percent (850.0 

 million fish), age-1 fish (1961 year class) 

 24 percent (522.4 million), age-4 (1958 year 

 class) 21 percent (460.3 million), and age-3 

 (1959 year class) 11 percent (235.7 million). 



As in most previous years, fish of age 5 

 and over constituted only a small percentage 

 of the fish landed. The 1958 year class, al- 

 though not providing the greatest percentage 

 of the catch as in the previous 3 years, 

 was still abundant and contributed over half 

 the total weight of fish landed. Furthermore, 

 this abundant year class contributed more 

 4-year-old fish to the catch thanany year class 

 in 1955-62. 



The percentage age composition of the 

 catches, by area, for 1962 is shown infigure 3, 

 and listed in table 4. The calculated number 

 of fish in the different age groups is listed 

 in table 5. 



Table 3. — Age composition (in percent) and calculated number of Atlantic menhaden (in millions) 



at each age in purse seine catches, 1955-62 



[Most numerous age group underscored] 



+ = <0. 01 percent. 



