Seven species were represented by single 

 specimens. 



Miles and Sinmons (19^0) included 

 lists of other fishes taken in the menhaden 

 purse-seine vessels of Port Arthur, Texas, 

 in 19U8 and 19h9. These boats woriced off 

 the western coast of Louisiana. Altogether 

 2,183 other fishes were taken with 

 2,500,000 menhaden in $9 hauls observed in 

 I9I48. Fifteen species and six groups such 

 as "flat-fishes, croakers, herring-like 

 fishes" were not specifically identified. 

 The herring-like fishes accounted for 68.7 

 percent of the fishes other than menhaden. 

 Haivest-fish, Peprilus paru , made up 5.U 

 percent of the count, and U.9 percent were 

 Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus . 

 Six additional species and "groups" com- 

 prised l!^.? percent, and the remaining 5.3 

 percent consisted of 12 species and groups. 

 In I9U9, observations covered lU3 sets tak- 

 ing 5,326,000 menhaden and 7,309 other 

 fishes. The burper, Chloroscombrus 

 chrysurus, and thread herring, Opisthonema 

 oglimTin ,~accounted for 50. ii and 20.3 percent 

 of the other fishes. Seven species accoun- 

 ted for an additional 23.7 percent, with 

 the remaining 5.6 percent distributed over 

 3U species. Seven of these were repre- 

 sented by single specimens. Five genera 

 were not listed by species. The 19hQ study 

 included 5 species not listed in the 19U9 

 count of other fishes. Comparison of the 

 two annual lists is difficult because 

 "groups" rather than species were listed 

 in several instances. Some part of the data 

 given by Miles and Simmons (1950) were also 

 reported by Knapp (1950). 



In response to a request for informa- 

 tion regarding his methods of collecting 

 data, Mr. Ernest G. Simmons (personal com- 

 munication) has given us the following in- 

 formation*. 



"In the I9U8 menhaden work the counts 

 of menhaden were assumed to be units of 

 fish. ... the average number of fish per 

 basket on the conveyor belt was determined 

 by actual count and then the total number 

 of baskets was obtained to give the total 

 number of fish. 



"When the fish were brought aboard . . . 

 I ... counted fish other then menhaden. ... 

 each brail of about five thousand fish 

 spread out in an even layer over the fish 

 already in the hold. Then with the aid of a 



long-handled dip net I could secure the 

 fish. In most instances ... the crew 

 grabbed every eatable fish as it came 

 aboard. Checks at the dock ... indicated 

 that all fish except clupeids had been 

 removed." 



SAMPLING THE MISSISSIPPI 

 PURSE- SEINE CATCH 



A study of the purse- seine catch 

 brought to Mississippi processing plants was 

 started in June 1958 and conpleted in May 

 1959. Biologists made trips with commercial 

 vessels during each month of the fishing 

 season except September 1958. In 26 days 

 of fishing, 89 sets produced an estimated 

 catch of 2,977,500 "fish" V or 1,985,000 

 pounds. The equivalent of approximately 20 

 percent of the seasonal catch of one boat 

 was saitpled. In 1958, sairples were taken 

 from 15 sets in June, 19 in July, 16 in 

 August and 12 in October; in May 1959, 27 

 sets were sanpled. 



Collection of Data 



Location, time, weather conditions, 

 and water depth were recorded when the net 

 was set. As the menhaden vessel came along- 

 side the purse boats, surface water tenpera- 

 ture was measured and a water sanple was 

 drawn for salinity determination. Samples 

 of the catch were taken from the chutes as 

 the fish were punped aboard. Approximately 

 equal portions from the beginning, the 

 middle, and the end of the punping opera- 

 tion made up the sanple. All species ob- 

 served in the net and during the puirping 

 operation were recorded. Specimens other 

 than menhaden were often taken from the 

 purse seine with a gaff or dip net and when 

 necessary were brought back to the labora- 

 tory for positive identification. 



Counts of each species in the sample 

 were made after puirping was completed. 

 Parasite counts, fork lengths, and various 

 other measurements and observations com- 



1/ Menhaden operators have a unit of measure called a 



quarter box which contains a thousand standard menhaden 

 (a fish occupying 22 cubic inches). Actually, fish in the 

 box are packed so tightly that regardless of actual sizes the 

 total weight always approaches 660 pounds. Thus the 

 fishermen have come to speak of a "fish" as a imit which 

 weighs 2/3 of a pound. When used in that sense in this 

 report the word is set off in quotes. 



