TABLE 5. — Age composition (in percent) of purse seine catches of Atlantic menhaden, 



by area and season, 1955-58 



[Most numerous age group underscored] 



In the Chesapeake Bay Area, the length-fre- 

 quency curve was negatively skewed, ranged 

 from 110 to 315 mm., and showed a single, 

 dominant mode at 212 mm. The length curve for 

 age-1 fish had a mode at 198 mm. and that for 

 age-2 fish, at 212 mm. As in the South Atlantic 

 Area, the range in lengths of age-1 fish was 

 nearly double that of age-2 fish with consider- 

 able overlap between the two age groups. 



Fork lengths of fish in catch samples from the 

 Middle Atlantic Area ranged from 155 to 340 

 mm. The length curve was unimodal (actually 

 the mode appeared in two adjacent length 

 classes), slightly asymmetical, and based al- 

 most entirely on age-2 fish. 



The length curve for the North Atlantic Area 

 ranged from 200 to 365 mm. and consisted of 

 two distinct groups. The first was comprised 

 primarily of age-2 fish and had a prominent 

 peak at approximately 258 mm. The second was 



comprised of fish of age 3 and older ages, with a 

 peak at approximately 322 mm. Although age-2 

 fish were almost completely separated from 

 age- 4 and older fish, age- 3 fish were virtually 

 indistinguishable because of the great spread in 

 their lengths. 



Lengths of fish in the North Carolina fall 

 fishery ranged from 65 to 355 mm. Age-Ofish 

 were almost completely separated from those of 

 all other ages andconsistedof two size groups. 

 The smaller group ranged from 65 to 95 mm., 

 with a peak at 82 mm., and the larger group 

 ranged to approximately 160 mm., with apeak at 

 118 mm. Age-1 fish ranged from 165 to 280 

 mm., with a prominent peak at 192 mm. The 

 curve representing age-2 fish was asymmetri- 

 cal and skewed to the left. Lengths of this age 

 group ranged from 185 to 315 mm. The largest 

 length group was comprised mostly of age-4 and 

 older fish, with age- 3 fish completely obscured. 



12 



