The mean length of fish in all areas except 

 the North Carolina fall fishery, and the mean 

 weight of fish in all areas except the South 

 Atlantic Area and North Carolina fall fishery, 

 declined sharply and were the smallest in the 

 5-year period. This decline resulted from the 

 increase of age-1 fish in the catches. The 

 mean length and weight of fish in the North 

 Carolina fall fishery were the highest in the 

 5-year period. This increase was due to the 

 almost complete absence of age-0 fish in the 

 catch. Age-1 fish were smaller, lighter, and 

 more abundant in 1959 than in any of the 

 previous 4 years. Also, fish in each age 

 group increased in size and weight from south 

 to north. Those caught in the North Carolina 

 fall fishery were generally larger and heavier 

 than those caught in the summer fishery. 



DISCUSSION 



Increased exploitation of younger and 

 smaller fish was suggested as a possible cause 

 for the continued decline in yield of Atlantic 

 menhaden in those areas dependent on older 

 age groups (June and Nicholson, 1964). In the 

 1959 summer fishery, a greater number of 

 fish was landed than in any previous year, 

 yet the total yield was 45 tons less than in 

 1956, the record year for tonnage landed. The 

 1959 catch in all except the North Atlantic 

 Area comprised mostly age-1 fish. In the South 

 Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay Areas, record 

 catches were landed, but in the Middle Atlantic 

 Area, where normally the catch is composed 

 mostly of age-2 fish, the yield of 281,000 tons 

 was the second largest in the past 5 years 

 and 121 tons less than the record in 1956. In 

 the North Atlantic Area, the catch, which 

 usually comprises age-3 and older ages, con- 

 sisted mostly of age-3 and younger ages in 

 1959. It was next to the smallest in the past 

 5 years. 



The number of purse seine sets reached a 

 new high in 1959 in the South Atlantic and 

 Chesapeake Bay Areas, but was next to the 

 smallest in 5 years in both the Middle Atlantic 

 and North Atlantic Areas. The record tonnages 

 in areas exploiting primarily age-1 fish, in a 

 year when record numbers of fish were landed. 



further suggests over-exploitation of the 

 younger age groups. 



The 1958 year class undoubtedly is one of 

 the largest in recent years, and as age-2 

 fish should provide record catches in the 

 Middle Atlantic and possibly the North Atlantic 

 Areas in 1960. In view of the unprecedented 

 exploitation of this year class at age-1, how- 

 ever, the 1961 catches, while expected to be 

 high, probably will fall short of the record set 

 in 1956. 



The North Carolina fall fishery, in contrast 

 to the summer fishery, set a new record 

 tonnage in 1959, but the number of fish caught 

 was less than in any of the preceding 4 years. 

 The decrease in numbers resulted from the 

 almost complete absence of age-0 fish (pur- 

 posely not exploited) and from smaller catches 

 of age-1 and age-2 fish. Fishing was negligible 

 in January because age-0 fish were not ex- 

 ploited. Consequently, nearly all fishing oc- 

 curred in Novem.ber and December. The 

 record yield, which comprised mainly age-3 

 and older fish, and the larger number of sets 

 were further evidence that weather, rather 

 than abundance, is the factor lin^iting the catch 

 in the North Carolina fall fishery. 



SUMMARY 



1. The 1959 purse seine catch of Atlantic men- 

 haden (Brcvoortia tyrrmnus) Was 705,000 tons, 

 the second largest in the history of the 

 fishery. Landings in the summer fishery 

 amounted to 614.000 tons; in the North 

 Carolina fall fishery, 91,000 tons. The 

 number of purse seine sets amounted to 

 33,009, the largest in the 5-year period, 

 1955-59. The average catch per set (21 

 tons) was slightly greater than in previous 

 years. It was smallest in the South Atlantic 

 Area and greatest in the North Carolina 

 fall fishery. The greatest portion of the 

 catch was taken in the Middle Atlantic Area 

 and the smallest portion in the South 

 Atlantic Area. 



2. The most productive fishing grounds were 

 essentially the same as in previous years 



16 



