NOTES ON AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MENHADEN FISHERY 
301 
The largest menhaden observed during 1894 was taken by the J. W. Hawkins , 
July 27, at the mouth of the Keunebee River, Maine. The fish was 14 inches long and 
weighed 1 pound 14 ounces. 
Spawning of menhaden . — Notwithstanding the attention which the subject has 
received, much yet remains to be learned regarding the spawning season and 
spawning-grounds of the menhaden. Knowledge of the spawning habits of the fish 
has a very important practical bearing on the question of legislation, for it is clear 
that any truly protective measures adopted by the States must take cognizance of 
the time and place chosen by the menhaden for depositing their eggs. 
Throughout the season, the agents of the Commission examined the menhaden 
with reference to the condition of their reproductive organs. The observations of 
Mr. Locke on the steamer J. W. Hawkins were especially complete. In Chesapeake 
Bay early in the season, when only small fish were caught, examinations were made 
daily, but later, on the New England coast and on the southern grounds, when the 
fish taken were of larger size, some menhaden in every seine-haul were eviscerated. 
The diversity of the testimony of fishermen on the question of the spawning 
season of menhaden and the observations of the Commission suggest the existence of 
different spawning times on different parts of the coast, a peculiarity strikingly 
exemplified in the case of the sea herring, which spawns in May in the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence and in November on the New England coast. 
The testimony of fishermen and others as to the spawning of menhaden on the 
Maine coast indicates that the spawning period occupies part of the summer and may 
extend over most of the time when the fish are in those waters. The observations of 
the Commission’s agent, extending from June 29 to August 6, tended to corroborate 
this view. An examination of 7 large menhaden, caught in Muscongus Sound July 3 
in a school of 19,500 fish, showed that 3 males and 1 female were spent fish, while 3 
females (12 inches long) had very large but immature ovaries. From a haul of 42,500 
fish at the mouth of the Kennebec River July 5, 1 male examined was about half 
spent and 5 females had finished the spawning process. Examination of 6 fish from a 
haul of 66,700 in the same place on July 11 gave the following result: One male spent; 
1 male with very large, hard spermaries; 1 female spent; 3 females with very large 
ovaries full of unripe eggs. On July 20 at the mouth of the New Meadow River, 6 
fish from a lot of 14,900 consisted of 1 male with very large but immature spermaries, 
3 spent females, 1 female from which eggs (apparently not ripe) would run on very 
gentle pressure, and 1 female with ovaries much enlarged and containing eggs very 
nearly ripe. Fish in a similar condition were taken in Casco Bay, July 24. On July 
26 and 27, 12 menhaden from schools taken in Casco Bay and off Seguin Island were 
found to be spent fish, 8 being males. This examination was typical of a number of 
others made during the latter part of July. In August the fish were found with their 
reproductive organs in various stages of development. In some male fish the organs 
were three fourths mature; some ovaries were one- third to one-half full size with 
well-defined but unripe eggs, but in most of the fish, especially those taken after 
August 10, the organs were quite small and the eggs not differentiated. 
All the menhaden caught in the Chesapeake in May and June had such very small 
organs as to suggest the recent completion of the spawning process or the immaturity 
of the fish. The spermaries of some 7-incli fish taken June 4 were only three-eighths 
of an inch long, and the ovaries only three-fourths of an inch; on June 6 some 8-inch 
fish had spermaries 1 inch long and ovaries lj- inches long, and no further development 
