Table 10.—Mean ages of Gulf menhaden by month and area, 1967-73. 
Aven Year 
(long.) Month 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 Mean 
Eastern Apr. 1-38, 1.24" 105. 116; 1/65, 1234" == — — 1.74 1.37 
(84-89a) May ICSI 126 eel: 115s Vd 64 ete 116) mes 2 UOSiee WA Zee IhG le ele 37, 
June SES US ORI 2 7s Ge 48 aeo le ee 7s tel heel Gaile ST 
July ALS: LOSI 136) U145 45 4, RO 51) AON N62 ISI 
Aug. AOE). sb ls” aha kale by Vie sal tile ilaks era Glee skteh. Gb BL aL} 
Sept. LOT ol Shel OGen lL OGh elim O28 ho 2tele2 eel cel tos mele g) 
Oct. 1110 — — ——) 2605) 3820 et 56 hob 
Mean WS WSS Vl la: AAAS 5) E24 4a 6h IGT B1E29) 
Central Apr. 2.10 1.73100 — 1.95 1.70 
(89b-91) May HES 2Re EOD wend COM eto ie kb 2 sede 18 8 61889) ks 38: eeES8deb3 
June V68eLS3F 138) 1.03% alia 23) SOs Waa Amb 8: 14d 
July IO are ale Gy aye aly Sh Re alta puv aly i Saltcaly Maley wali?) 
Aug. {LOIS 290 51-28 Sel OR aT ee SSI) S768. Gon oles8 
Sept. ISG 100 125) 07/0998 eka Se eG 1l e146) oleae TTY 2129) 
Oct. _— - — 1.00 1.06 130 1.13 — — — 1.12 
Mean UV Oh 12372 21233)) 106 AOE 26S Web 243i be 5G ed 2: 
Western Apr. = — 1.00 100 — 1:00 — — — — 1.00 
(92-94) May 133. 10159 42.7 V07) ACL 008 S66) 71-39" 7 TO 21825. 
June L653 1203) 104) 1513's See 26 eal 4 4128 Sl 29i0 51-03) ye1k22 
July 1:53 lL OSMeHO4: TELS an Seale 26) pleas eS ed On OS E22 
Aug. 4S lLOI 10995 102 050 1820s 1k 32102), notes 2) a1e16 
Sept. DELO 01927 1OS79 MOON 099" SOOT S201 O99 a7 80 104 
Oct. 1.00 — _ — 1.00 1.00 100 — 108 — 1.02 
Mean 130m LOST 05: OS eetcOSe HLT2 Fes S119 re ie ed Grenada 3 
Table 11.—Mean lengths (mm) of Gulf menhaden of all ages and percentages of 
age-1 fish in samples of purse seine catches, by port, 1964-73. 
Port 
Mean and Moss Pt. Empire Dulac Morgan Intracoastal Cameron 
Year percent Miss. La. La. City,La. City, La. La. 
1964 Mean length 156 176 — 168 — 161 
“ Age-1 84 40 — 62 — 73 
1965 Mean length 145 157 165 168 161 152 
% Age-1 85 70 69 70 89 97 
1966 Mean length 162 166 170 169 — 152 
% Age-1 83 68 57 65 _— 86 
1967 Mean length 151 163 160 158 — 150 
% Age-1 91 79 90 87 _— 99 
1968 Mean length 166 169 175 174 159 154 
%o Age-1 60 49 33 57 80 96 
1969 Mean length 152 153 _ 169 167 152 
% Age-1 85 85 = 69 71 86 
1970 Mean length 168 - 168 173 173 165 
°c Age-1 72 — 53 43 46 73 
1971 Mean length 168 — 168 179 170 158 
% Age-1 60 —_— ql 63 71 84 
1972 Mean length 164 173 182 186 185 162 
% Age-1 85 51 37 15 26 89 
1973. Mean length 169 180 177 184 — 163 
% Age-1 57 45 75 55 — 87 
Mean lengths and weights of all ages combined also 
tended to be greater in the center of the fishing area, 
since mean ages were greater and catches contained a 
higher proportion of older, larger fish. The variation was 
similar to, but less than that for mean ages. Monthly 
means showed similar trends. 
At ports in the center of the fishery (Empire to Intra- 
coastal City) mean lengths were greater than at ports in 
the eastern (Moss Pt.) or western (Cameron) areas, and 
the percentage of age-1 fish in most cases was less (Table 
11). The tendency of fish to be older and larger at ports in 
the center of the fishery probably reflects the tendency of 
vessels to fish most often in areas close to their home 
ports. The percentage of age-1 fish tended to be greatest 
at Intracoastal City, the most western port in the central 
area, than at other ports in the central area, but smaller 
than at Cameron. 
