Marine Fisheries Review 1991: Vol 53 Iss 4

75 Pages·1991·25.5 MB·English

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Menhaden
On the cover: A
menhaden fishing scene.
Special Issue 53(4), 1991
Menhaden: The Resource, the Industry, and a Management History
Preface Douglas S. Vaughan
Population Biology and Life History
of the North American Menhadens, Brevoortia spp. Dean W. Ahrenholz
Overview of Mark-recovery Studies on Adult and Juvenile Dean W. Ahrenholz,
Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, and Gulf Menhaden, B. patronus Donnie L. Dudley, and Eldon J. Levi
The Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Purse Seine
Fisheries: Origins, Harvesting Technologies, Biostatistical
Monitoring, Recent Trends in Fisheries Statistics, and Forecasting Joseph W. Smith 28
New Products and Markets for Menhaden, Brevoortia spp. Malcolm B. Hale, Paul E. Bauersfeld,
Sylvia B. Galloway, and Jeanne D. Joseph 42
Assessment and Management of Atlantic Menhaden,
Brevoortia tyrannus, and Gulf Menhaden, B. patronus, Stocks D.S. Vaughan and J. V. Merriner 49
Biological Analysis of Two Management Options for
the Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, Fishery Douglas S. Vaughan and Joseph W. Smith 58
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF The Marine Fisheries Review (ISSN 0090-1830) the Director of the Office of Management and
is published quarterly by the Scientific Publica- Budget.
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Editor: W. L. Hobart printing this periodical has been approved by Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
MENHADEN: THE RESOURCE,
THE INDUSTRY, AND
A MANAGEMENT HISTORY
A Special Issue of the
Marine Fisheries Review
Smaller purse-seine menhaden fisheries
for bait (e.g., crab and lobster) are found
on both coasts.
Preface The National Marine Fisheries Service
(formerly Bureau of Commercial Fish-
DOUGLAS S. VAUGHAN eries) has maintained records of daily
vessel landings and fishing activity since
1940 onthe Atlantic coast and since 1946
on the Gulf coast. Sampling for age and
size of menhaden landed has been con-
Four species of menhaden, Brevoortia currents where they metamorphose and ducted by staff in the NMFS menhaden
spp., are found along the Atlantic and develop as juveniles. research program since 1955 on the
Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United Menhaden form large surface schools Atlantic coast and since 1964 on the
States. The Atlantic menhaden, B. tyran- susceptible to purse seines which are Gulf coast. Captain’s daily fishing
nus, is found from Nova Scotia, Can. , to now the principal fishing gear. Major reports containing data on individual
West Palm Beach, Fla.; the yellowfin fisheries for Atlantic and Gulf menha- menhaden purse-seine sets have been
menhaden, B. smithi, is found from Cape den exist on each coast (Fig. 1). Although collected on both coasts since 1978. In
Lookout, N.C., tothe Mississippi River neither fishery is directed toward the addition, extensive mark-recapture
Delta, La. ; the Gulf menhaden, B. patro- yellowfin or finescale menhaden, both studies (using internal ferromagnetic
nus, is found from Cape Sable, Fla., to may be part of these other catches to a tags) on adult and juvenile Atlantic and
Veracruz, Mex.; and the finescale men- small degree. During the 1980s, the com- Gulf menhaden have been conducted
haden, B. gunteri, is found from the Mis- bined landings for the menhaden reduc- since the late 1960’s. Also, studies on
sissippi River Delta, La. , to Campeche, tion fisheries comprised about 40% ofall the biology and estuarine distribution
Mex. U.S. commercial landings, ranging be- of juvenile menhaden have been con-
Menhaden are euryhaline species that tween 934,000 t and 1,342,000 t, with ducted along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf
inhabit coastal and inland tidal waters. Gulf menhaden landings representing coasts since the early 1960’s. These
Spawning occurs principally at sea (in between two-thirds and three-fourths studies culminated in extensive juvenile
northern areas some spawning occurs in of the total. Menhaden are processed abundance surveys along both coasts
bays and sounds). Eggs hatch at sea and primarily at reduction plants for fish during the 1970’s.
the larvae are moved to estuaries by ocean meal, oil, and solubles. The meal and Management of Atlantic and Gulf men-
solubles are used mostly in poultry and haden fisheries is by the respective states
Douglas S. Vaughan is with the Beaufort Labora- livestock feeds, and increasingly in and coordinated through the Atlantic and
tory, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National aquaculture, whtihe olil ies u sed in paints Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commis-
Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Beaufort, N.C.
28516. and as an edible oil in Europe and Canada. sions. State, industry, and Federal inter-
53(4), 1991
LANDINGS
OF ALL
BILLIONS OTHER
OF SPECIES
IN U.S.
POUNDS b4y]wa s SANAARAMRANAANRAJNAR ARARRSANASRS
SISS MSS 77%
SSS
T NNANANNANANMMAAAANSSSSS)A DASOOAOXOASORYODSO AOOSNOAYO N AO NASsN ARAASAORSMMNASRSAAQ ASN[ AMA N AAAAAAS[AQASAAA NSSA A NNJQS R A MAetnlhaantdiecn
NANSASASA ANRSARSANRSAAN NAMAAANAA)A A NANNAAANANAAAAANAANA NARSPARQAEAAAAN RAMNASS Fishery
SMMSASSS SQ SM
—
GULF AND
ATLANTIC
MENHADEN ~
23%
1970 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 8889
CALENDAR YEAR - .. ;
Ca:
Gulf Menhaden Fishery
WACTIVE PLANT LOCATIONS IN 1989, AU.S.-SOVIET IWP VENTURE
Figure 1.—Gulf and Atlantic menhaden contribution to total U.S. commercial fisheries landings during the calendar year, 1970-87.
ests are represented on the Atlantic and This special issue of the Marine Fish- interactions including a comparison of
Gulf Menhaden Advisory Committees as eries Review provides an historical management options for the Atlantic
part of the interstate commission fishery perspective on the menhaden resource menhaden. These papers draw on
management process. Information from and fisheries. These papers summarize previously published material and on
NMFS is provided to these groups, in- information on menhaden biology, current research. They are intended to
cluding stock assessments on these spe- environmental influences on recruit- help define ‘‘the state of our knowledge’”’
cies. Coastwide management plans have ment, results of tagging studies, the and provide guidance in developing
been prepared for both Atlantic and Gulf fisheries, current and potential products future studies to improve our understand-
menhaden with recent updates for both from menhaden, recent assessments of ing of menhaden biology and population
species. stock status, and describe management dynamics.
Marine Fisheries Review
Population Biology and Life History of the North
American Menhadens, Brevoortia spp.
DEAN W. AHRENHOLZ
Introduction sumers, feeding on phytoplankton, or Geographic Ranges
secondary consumers, feeding on zoo-
Menhaden are members of the world- plankton, or both. Many clupeids are Reintjes (1969) summarized the geo-
wide family Clupeidae, one of the most in turn prey for various piscivorous graphic ranges for the four menhaden
important families of fishes both eco- predators through virtually their entire species. Atlantic menhaden are seasonal-
nomically (Hildebrand, 1963), and eco- lives. Life history patterns for this fam- ly found from Nova Scotia, Can., to
logically. Clupeids are characteristically ily of fishes include species which can southeastern Florida, near West Palm
very numerous and form large, dense complete their entire life cycle in either Beach. Gulf menhaden range from
schools which enhance our ability to fresh or marine waters, or are anadro- southwestern Florida, near Cape Sable,
harvest them. Many of the species are mous species, or marine migratory (estu- to Veracruz, Mex. Yellowfin menhaden
filter feeders, being either primary con- arine dependent) species. overlap the ranges of all three other
The large-scaled menhadens, the At- menhaden species and are found from
lantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, Cape Lookout, N.C., to the Mississippi
and the Gulf menhaden, B. patronus, River Delta. Finescale menhaden over-
have received considerable attention in lap the ranges of both the Gulf and
fishery science research due to their large yellowfin menhaden, and are found from
ABSTRACT—Four recognized species of
menhaden, Brevoortia spp. , occur in North population sizes and resulting economic just east of the Mississippi River Delta
American marine waters: Atlanticmenhaden, and ecological importance. The small- (Turner, 1971) to Campeche, Mex.
B. tyrannus; Gulf menhaden, B. patronus; scaled menhadens, the yellowfin men- The numbers of Gulf menhaden rela-
yellowfin menhaden, B. smithi; and finescale haden, B. smithi, and the finescale men- tive to numbers of yellowfin menhaden
menhaden, B. gunteri. Three ofthe menhaden
haden, B. gunteri, are less numerous become reduced proceeding southward
species are known to form two hybrid types.
Members of the genus range from coastal and have received far less consideration on the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida.
waters of Veracruz, Mex., to Nova Scotia, in the scientific literature. The contrast in There appears to be a similar distribu-
Can. Atlantic and Gulf menhaden are ex- relative importance is quite marked. On tion pattern for relative numbers of At-
tremely abundant within their respective
one extreme, the purse-seine reduction lantic and yellowfin menhaden pro-
ranges and support extensive purse-seine
reduction (to fish meal and oil) fisheries. All fishery (to fish meal and oil) for Gulf ceeding southward along the Atlantic
menhaden species are estuarine dependent menhaden was the largest U.S. fishery by coast of Florida. The coastal area be-
through late larval and juvenile stages. De- weight from 1963 through 1988, and tween West Palm Beach and Miami, Fla. ,
pending on species and location within the Atlantic menhaden purse-seine reduction where menhaden are relatively rare
range, spawning may occur within bays and
landings, currently one-third to two- (Dahlberg, 1970), geographically sep-
sounds to a substantial distance offshore.
Menhadenare considered to be filter-feeding, thirds those for Gulf menhaden, were the arates the Atlantic menhaden from the
planktivorous omnivores as juveniles and largest for the U.S. from 1947 to 1962. Gulf menhaden, as well as apparent east-
adults. Menhaden eggs, immature develop- On the other extreme, finescale menha- ern and western populations of yellowfin
mental stages, and adults are potential prey den are apparently not directly sought by menhaden.
for alarge and diverse number of predators.
North American menhadens, including two any recognized fishery, and yellowfin A large amount of hybrid introgression
hybrids, are hosts for the parasitic isopod, menhaden (and their hybrids) are only occurs between Atlantic and yellowfin
Olencira praegustator, and the parasitic cope- harvested by specialized bait fisheries on menhaden on the Atlantic coast of
pod, Lernaeenicus radiatus. Although the data both coasts of Florida. The following is Florida, and Gulf and yellowfin men-
are quite variable, a dome-shaped Ricker
a general description of the population haden onthe Gulfcoast of Florida. Areas
function is frequently used to describe the
spawner-recruitment relationship for Atlan- biology and life history of these four with pure strains of yellowfin menhaden
ticand Gulfmenhaden. Each of these species North American menhaden species. are yet tobe defined. As the relative den-
is treated as a single stock with respect to ex- sity of Gulf menhaden decreases pro-
ploitation by the purse-seine reduction fishery.
Dean W. Ahrenholz is with the Beaufort ceeding southward, the number of Gulf
Estimates of instantaneous natural (other) Laboratory, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, x yellowfin menhaden (B. patronus x
mortality rates are 0.45 for Atlanticmenhaden National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA,
and 1.1 for Gulf menhaden. Beaufort, NC 28516-9722. B. smithi) hybrids increases along with
53(4), 1991
pure strains of yellowfin. For example, Table 1.—Distinguishing and comparative characteristics of North American coastal menhadens (modified from
Dahiberg, 1970).
Turner (1969) reported that collections
of menhaden from Panama City to Cedar Large-scaled menhaden Small-scaled menhaden
Keys, Fla., consisted of 94% Gulf men- Character B. tyrannus B. patronus B. smithi B. gunteri
haden and 6% yellowfin menhaden, Frontal groove Complete Complete Absent Absent
while samples from farther south, Tam- Lateral spots Usually present Usually present Absent Absent
pa Bay to Cape Sable, Fla., were 7% Gulf above and below above and below
the level of the level of
menhaden, 56% yellowfin menhaden, shoulder spot shoulder spot
and 37 % Gulf X yellowfin hybrids. Het- Ventral fin Middle rays and Inner rays equal Inner rays about Inner rays about
sometimes inner to or longer than one-half to two- one-half to two-
tler (1968) reported on two collections rays equal in length outer rays thirds length of thirds length of
made along the southern Gulf coast of to outer rays fin fin
Scale Pointed, length Pointed Rounded tip, Rounded tip,
Florida; one near Naples consisted of pectinations ' medium or long shorter shorter
17% Gulf menhaden, 9% yellowfin Body mucus” Copius Copius Sparse Sparse
menhaden, and 74% Gulf x yellowfin Flesh? Soft Soft Firm Firm
Ovarian color Yellow Yellow White ?
hybrids, and the other from near Sanibel
Lateral scale rows 43-53 (40-58) 42-48 57-73 (54-80) 65-72 (60-76)
Island consisted of 5% Gulf menhaden,
Opercular Prominent Prominent Faint or absent Faint or absent
54% yellowfin menhaden, and41% Gulf striations (12-31) (13-25) (0-15) (0-18)
x yellowfin hybrids. A similar situation Predorsal scales 35-44 (33-46) 29-37 (28-39) 39-51 (37-56) 40-49 (39-52)
Vertebrae 46-48 (44-49) 44-46 (43-47) 44-45 (43-46) 42-43 (41-43)
apparently exists on the east coast of
Ventral scutes 31-34 (29-34) 29-31 (28-32) 30-32 (29-34) 28-30 (27-31)
Florida with the distributions of Atlantic
' Older adults.
and yellowfin menhaden and the Atlan- ? Fresh specimens.
tic X yellowfin hybrids; for example,
the menhaden gill-net fishery in Indian
River, Fla., is dominated by yellowfin two large-scaled menhaden species can shoulder spot, and have larger and fewer
menhaden and the Atlantic X yellowfin be separated from the two small-scaled scales. The small-scaled menhadens
hybrids (Dahlberg, 1970). species by a variety of characteristics lack the former characteristics and have
(Table 1). Fresh specimens can be sep- smaller and more numerous scales. Gulf
Species Characteristics
arated simply by feel, as the large-scaled menhaden have a deeper (more convex)
Menhaden are generically distin- menhadens have large amounts of body body shape and fewer predorsal scales,
guished from other clupeids by their mucus and relatively soft flesh, while the vertebrae, and ventral scutes than their
relatively large heads, pectinated scales, small-scaled species have relatively small Atlantic congener (Table 1, Fig. 1, 2).
absence of teeth (beyond juvenile stages), quantities of body mucus and their flesh The yellowfin menhaden can be separ-
and by their dorsal fin being over the in- is firm. Additionally, the large-scaled ated from the finescale menhaden by the
terval between the pelvic and anal fins species possess a frontal groove, acces- yellowfin’s greater number of vertebrae
(Reintjes, 1969; Hildebrand, 1963). The sory lateral spots beyond the large and ventral scutes, and relatively smaller
\ \ i 12} j
bs |E Y Re
s' f 7 € a
Figure 1.—Adult Atlantic menhaden, 250 mm FL (J. W. Reintjes photo).
Marine Fisheries Review
Figure 2.—Adult Gulf menhaden, 167 mm FL (R. B. Chapoton photo).
Figure 3.—Adult yellowfin menhaden, 300 mm FL (J. W. Reintjes photo).
head (Table 1, Fig. 3, 4). More detailed crossing with either parental population Hybrids of B. gunteri x B. patronus
descriptions are available from Dahlberg will be predominantly by male hybrids, (finescale < Gulf menhaden) and B.
(1970) and Hildebrand (1963). Dahlberg as they dominate the hybrid population. gunteri X B. smithi(finescale x yellow-
(1970) also provides divergent char- A self-sustaining population of hybrids is fin menhaden) have not been reported.
acteristics between the Atlantic and Gulf unlikely due to the preponderance of Although the ranges of the three species
populations of yellowfin menhaden. males. Hettler (1968) found no female overlap, yellowfin and finescale men-
The morphological and morpho- hybrids (B. patronus X B. smithi), while haden are not abundant in the area of
metrical appearances of the large- Turner (1969) reported finding4 f emales overlap (the Mississippi Delta region).
scaled menhaden and yellowfin men- out of 390 hybrids examined. Dahlberg Except for the southeastern Texas coast,
haden hybrids are intermediate to those (1970) discovered one female hybrid (B. finescale menhaden are apparently not
for the parents (Dahlberg, 1970) (Fig. 5). tyrannus X B. smithi) fromanunknown abundant in U.S. Gulf coastal waters
The presence of a gradient of character- number of hybrids examined on the where Gulf menhaden predominate.
istics between the parental types sug- Atlantic coast, and found no females Definitive studies on finescale menhaden
gests back-crossing also occurs. Back- among Gulf hybrids. are lacking.
53 (4), 1991
vais: aes soe aspshi -
Figure 4.—Adult finescale menhaden, 320 mm FL (R. B. Chapoton photo).
General Life Cycle existing knowledge of migration and ward. By June, the population is redis-
distribution was further strengthened tributed from Florida to Maine. Even
Menhaden are estuarine dependent, by an analysis of the age and length though some Atlantic menhaden migrate
marine migratory species. Spawning distributions of Atlantic menhaden in the north and south along the U.S. Atlantic
generally occurs during the cooler landings (Nicholson, 1971), and finally coast, because the fish distribute them-
months in the marine environment, from results of an internal, ferromagnetic selves on the basis of size and age, the
and larvae undergo early growth and tagging program (Dryfoos et al., 1973; movement actually represents a seasonal
development at sea. About 1-2 months Kroger and Guthrie, 1973; Nicholson, expansion and contraction of the Atlan-
later, those larvae that have been trans- 1978). tic menhaden’s range.
ported shoreward enter estuarine bays, During summer, Atlantic menhaden Geotemporal aspects of spawning for
sounds, and streams, and metamorphose are generally distributed from northern this species are closely associated with the
into juveniles. Menhaden juveniles Florida to Maine. The adult population migratory behavior of the adults, and
(young-of-the-year) normally reside in stratifies by age and size, with the older some degree of spawning activity is
estuarine areas until the following fall or and larger individuals farther northward believed to occur during virtually every
early winter when many migrate into and the younger and smaller fish in the month of the year. Some fish ripen and
marine waters. Adults generally occur in southern half of the species’ range. Al- some spawning occurs in the more north-
nearshore oceanic waters and frequent- though localized movements occur dur- erly portions of the fishes range as the
ly reside in large estuarine systems. ing summer, no major systematic move- fish begin moving southward in Septem-
ment occurs until September, when the ber. Spawning continues with increasing
Migratory Behavior more northerly portion of the population intensity as the fish move progressively
and Spawning Season begins to migrate southward. By Decem- farther southward in October and No-
ber, a significant portion of the adult vember. Spawning intensity is believed
Atlantic Menhaden population that was north of Chesapeake to peak in waters off the North Carolina
Early hypotheses of the migratory be- Bay during summer has moved south- coast during winter. Spawning con-
havior of Atlantic menhaden were based ward to waters off the North Carolina tinues, but with decreasing levels of in-
upon observations of schools appearing coast. These fish are followed by large tensity as the fish move northward the
and disappearing along the U.S. Atlan- numbers of juvenile (young-of-the-year) following spring and early summer. Sup-
tic coast, and from the examination of the menhaden, which have recently emi- porting evidence for these conclusions
age and size composition of catches grated from nursery areas farther north. was obtained earlier by Higham and
among fishing ports along the U.S. Atlan- Usually by late January, menhaden Nicholson (1964), subsequently by Ken-
tic coast (June and Reintjes, 1959). An schools disappear and schools disperse dall and Reintjes (1975), and later by
analysis of the frequency and distribution from nearshore surface waters of North Judy and Lewis (1983). Atlantic men-
of purse-seine sets contributed additional Carolina. During March or early April, haden are believed to spawn in oceanic
information with respect to the timing schools of adult menhaden reassemble in waters over much of the continental
of migrations (Roithmayr, 1963). The coastal waters and move rapidly north- shelf, and in bays and sounds in Long
Marine Fisheries Review
Figure 5.—Adult yellowfin menhaden (upper), 280 mm FL, and Atlantic x yellowfin menhaden hybrid (lower), 285
mm FL (J. W. Reintjes photo).
Island waters and northward (Nelson et of the age/size structure of the spawning U.S. Gulfcoast in nearshore waters. Be-
al., 1977; Ferraro, 1980b). Evidence for population. For example, with the bulk ginning in October, they move offshore
recent spawning activity was based on of the spawning stock in recent years into deeper waters for winter. Roithmayr
the presence of menhaden larvae andeggs consisting of late age-2 fish, relatively and Waller (1963) reported that during
in plankton samples. Evidence of immi- less spawning activity would have been summer Gulf menhaden occurred in
nent spawning was also provided by expected in the New England and Mid- depths of 1-8 fathoms, while during
the presence of near-ripe specimens in dle Atlantic areas as compared to the winter months they were found in 4-18
fish samples obtained from commercial 1950’s when a broader and stronger age fathoms east and west of the Mississippi
purse-seine landings. However, spawn- structure was more extant in the popula- Delta, and at 20-48 fathoms in a smaller
ing has not been directly observed in tion (Ahrenholz et al., 1987b). area east and northeast of the Delta.
the marine environment, and running- Results of tagging studies failed to
ripe females are rarely captured. Gulf Menhaden identify any east-west component of
The relative magnitude of temporal Gulf menhaden do not exhibit an exten- annual migration for Gulf menhaden
spawning activity within and between sive migratory pattern. During late spring (Pristas etal. , 1976; Kroger and Pristas,
geographic regions is in part a function and summer they distribute along the 1975); however, multiple-year juvenile
53(4), 1991
tag-recovery data indicated a tendency by February 8 about 25 % of females were sexually mature during their second year
for Gulf menhaden from the eastern and ready to spawn. Hettler’s (1970) speci- of life, while from two-thirds to nearly
western extremes of their range to move mens from the Atlantic coast were taken all are sexually mature by the end of their
toward the center of their range with age from the Indian River, Fla., in Febru- third year (age 2) (Higham and Nichol-
(Ahrenholz, 1981). ary. Dahlberg (1970) concluded that son, 1964; Lewis et al., 1987). Female
The spawning season for Gulf men- the spawning season for yellowfin men- Gulf menhaden about 150 mm FL and
haden was determined by observations of haden was February and March on both larger are generally sexually mature by
larvae, gonadal development, and pres- the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida. the spawning season (Lewis and Roith-
ence of eggs in plankton samples. Spawn- His conclusion for the Gulf coast was at mayr, 1981), while the smallest sex-
ing has not been directly observed. From least in part based on Hettler’s (1968) ually mature female Atlantic menhaden
observations of the occurrence of lar- collection just north of Naples during are at least 180 mm FL (Lewis et al.,
vae in Lake Ponchartrain, La., Suttkus mid-March of tworipe female yellowfin 1987).
(1956) concluded that spawning prob- menhaden and Turner’s (1969) collection Age and size at maturation data is
ably began in October and ceased in of ripe females during February and limited for the small-scaled menhadens.
February; he presumed that this period March off the southern Gulf coast of Gunter (1945) observed a ripe female
could fluctuate among years. Combs Florida. Spawning may occur as early as finescale menhaden 150 mm TL, anda
(1969) concluded from a histological November, as Houde and Swanson ripe male 125 mm TL. The smaller of the
examination of ovaries that spawning (1975) collected yellowfin menhaden two ripe female yellowfin menhaden that
ranged from October through February eggs during this month from Atlantic Hettler (1968) found was 186mm FL. No
or early March. Christmas and Waller waters off the Florida coast. standing stock ova counts for either
(1975), after a literature review and an species of small-scaled menhaden are
examination of plankton sampies col- Finescale Menhaden available.
lected from much of the Gulf of Mexico, There is no evidence from which to Atlantic and Gulf menhaden are con-
concluded that spawning ‘‘.. .for the deduce any systematic seasonal migra- sidered to be multiple (fractional or inter-
most part. ..’’ occurred from October tion by the finescale menhaden other mittent) spawners (Higham and Nichol-
through March. Shawetal. (1985a) pre- than the notation of an apparent seasonal son, 1964; Combs, 1969). As noted by
sented arguments and evidence for an shift of larger finescale menhaden be- Combs (1969), the fishes’ ovaries could
even more protracted season. tween Texas bays (Gunter, 1945). Like not contain all the developing ova if they
Spawning areas have been determined the yellowfin menhaden, the finescale matured at the same time. Thus, ova
by noting the geographic collection sites menhaden appears to occur more in es- mature and are spawned in batches over
where Gulf menhaden eggs were taken. tuarine or nearshore areas. Gunter (1945) a protracted spawning season.
Based on their own collections and the referred to it as a brackish-water form, as The potential number of ova produced
work of Fore (1970) and Turner (1969), opposed to the more saline Gulf men- by an individual female during a spawn-
Christmas and Waller (1975) concluded haden, although this species was not ing season has been determined (esti-
that Gulf menhaden spawn from near formally described until 3 years later. mated) by counting the standing stock of
shore to 60 miles offshore along the en- Gunter (1945) discovered a ripe male advanced oocytes in Atlantic menhaden
tire U.S. Gulf coast. during February and a ripe female dur- (Higham and Nicholson, 1964; Dietrich,
ing the latter part of March, and noted 1979; Lewis et al., 1987) and Gulf men-
Yellowfin Menhaden that the spawning season was probably haden (Suttkus and Sundararaj, 1961;
Adult yellowfin do not appear to dis- from midwinter to early spring. He also Lewis and Roithmayr, 1981). For this
play any systematic, annual migratory observed post-larval finescale menhaden technique to provide a reasonable esti-
behavior. Dahlberg (1970) referred to from January to May. Simmons (1957) mate of true annual fecundity, the num-
them as “‘. ..common near shore along reported that this species spawned in the ber of ova produced during a season must
both Florida coasts throughout the year.’ upper Laguna Madre of Texas during be annually determinate, like that of the
He considered them an inshore or bay February. Given these observations, a multiple spawning Atlantic silverside,
form (in contrast to the large-scaled spawning period of November to March Menidia menidia (Conover, 1985), as
menhadens). Some larger individuals are appears realistic. Both Simmons (1957) opposed to being annually indeterminate,
occasionally found as far north as Cape and Gunter (1945) reported that spawn- similar to the multiple spawning northern
Lookout, N.C., during summer. ing occurs in inside (estuarine) Texas anchovy, Engraulis mordax (Hunter and
Spawning seasons and some spawning waters. Macewicz, 1985). While some workers
areas have been identified by collecting (e.g., Lewis et al., 1987) felt that deter-
Maturation and Fecundity
specimens for artificial spawning and minate fecundity is likely for the Atlan-
rearing. For the Atlantic coast popula- Gulf menhaden become sexually ma- tic menhaden (and thus likely for the
tion, Reintjes (1962) began sampling ture near the end of their second year other menhadens), this condition has
near Sebastian, Fla., in November. He of life (age 1) (Lewis and Roithmayr, not been demonstrated, nor has batch
noted ripening males in December, 1981). By comparison, only a small per- fecundity been estimated for any species
several ripening females in January, and centage of Atlantic menhaden become of menhaden.
Marine Fisheries Review