Age and Size Composition of the Menhaden Catch Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1962 With a Brief Review of the Commercial Fishery by William R. Nicholson and Joseph R. Higham, Jr. SPECIAL SQENTIFIC REPOKT-FISHERIES Na 527 Marine Biological Laboratory l_ r B R A R Y MAR 1 7 1965 WOODS HOLE, MASS. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUR E AtTof'cOMMERCiArF ISHERIE? UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Stewart L. Udall, Secretary John A. Carver, Jr., Under Secretary Stanley A. Cain, Assistant Secretary jor Fish and Wildlife and Parks FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, Clarence F. Pauteke, Commissioner Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Donald L. McKernan, Director Age and Size Composition of the Menhaden Catch Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1962 With a Brief Review of the Commercial Fishery By WILLIAM R. NICHOLSON and JOSEPH R. HICHAM, Jr. United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Scientific Report--Fisheries No. 527 Washington, D.C. February 1965 CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 The 1962 purse seine fishery 1 South Atlantic Area 3 Chesapeake Bay Area 3 Middle Atlantic Area 3 North Atlantic Area 4 North Carolina fall fishery 4 Distribution of purse seine sets 4 Sampling of the catch o Age connposition " Length composition 9 Weight connposition 12 Mean lengths and weights 12 Review of the Fishery 13 Summary 13 Acknowledgment 14 Literature Cited 14 Appendix tables 15 FIGURES 1. Map showing locations mentioned in the text, menhaden reduction plants (encircled), and geographic areas used in sunnmarizing catch data on Atlantic nnenhaden 2 2. Distribution of purse seine sets for Atlantic menhaden, 1962 5 3. Age composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962 , . . . 9 4. Length composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. . 10 5. Length frequencies of male and female Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962 H 6. Weight composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. . 12 TABLES 1. Mean annual catch, mean number of purse seine sets, and mean catch per set, 1955-61; and the catch, number of sets, and catch per set, 1962, Atlantic menhaden purse seine fishery 1 2. Number of samples of Atlantic menhaden taken from purse seine catches, by season and locality, 1962 6 3. Age composition (in percent) and calculated number of Atlantic menhaden (in millions) at each age in purse seine catches, 1955-62 6 4. Age composition (in percent) of Atlantic menhaden purse seine catches, by age, season, area, and year, 1955-62 7 5. Calculated number of Atlantic menhaden (in millions) in purse seine catches, by age, season, area, and year, 1955-62 8 6. Sex ratio of Atlantic menhaden in purse seine catches, by season and area, 1962 12 7. Mean fork length (mm.) of Atlantic menhaden in purse seine catches, 1962, and mean of the mean lengths, 1955-61, by age, season, area, and year 12 8. Mean weight (g.) of Atlantic menhaden in purse seine catches, 1962, and mean of the nnean weights, 1955-61, by age, season, area, and year 13 111 APPENDIX TABLES Page 1. Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches, South Atlantic Area, excluding the North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 15 2. Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay Area, 1962 l6 3. Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. Middle Atlantic Area, 1962 17 4. Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples fronn purse seine catches. North Atlantic Area, 1962 18 5. Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 19 6. Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhadenby age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. South Atlantic Area, excluding the North Carolina fall fishery, 1 962 20 7. Weight- frequency distributions of Atlantic menhadenby age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay Area, 1962 21 8. Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhadenby age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. Middle Atlantic Area, 1962 22 9. Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhadenby age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Atlantic Area, 1962 23 10. Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhadenby age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 24 11. Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches. South Atlantic area, excluding North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 25 12. Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay area, 1962 25 13. Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches. Middle Atlantic area, 1962 25 14. Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches, North Atlantic area, 1962 25 15. Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 25 IV Age and Size Composition of the Menhaden Catch Along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1962 With a Brief Review of the Commercial Fishery By WILLIAM R. NICHOLSON and JOSEPH R. HICHAM, Jr. Fishery Biologists (Research) Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory Beaufort, N.C. ABSTRACT The 1962 purse seine catch of Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, was 600,000 tons in the summer fishery and 29,000 tons in the North Carolina fall fishery. The mean catch per purse seine set, based on an estimated number of 26,176 sets, was 24 tons. The 1958 year class (age 4) dominated the fishery in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas for the fourth consecutive year and provided 5 per- cent of the catch in the Chesapeake Bay Area and 36 percent of the catch in the North Carolina fall fishery. On the basis of its contribution to the fishery in the Chesapeake Bay and Middle Atlantic Areas, the incoming year class (1961) appeared to be less than average in abundance. Except for age-0 fish, the mean lengths and weights in the South Atlantic Area in 1962 were less than the means for the previous 7-year period. The means for age- 4 fish were less than the 7- year means in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas, but slightly greater in the Chesapeake Bay Area. With few exceptions, the mean lengths and weights of other age groups in the Chesapeake Bay, Middle Atlantic, and North Atlantic Areas were greater than the 7-year means. INTRODUCTION This is the eighth in a series of annual re- ports that review the purse seine fishing season for the Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus. Summarized and discussed briefly are data for 1962 on the age, size, and sex composition of the catches, the number of vessels in the fishery, and the distribution of fishing activity. Comparable information for 1955-61 also is included. Four geograph- ical areas (fig. 1) and the North Carolina fall fishery, a specialized fishery within the South Atlantic Area, are subdivisions of the fishery used in the summary and review of the data. THE 1962 PURSE SEINE FISHERY The purse seine catch of Atlantic menhaden in 1962 was 629,000 tons --slightly better than in 1961. This total catch included 600,000 tons caught in the summer fishery and 29,000 tons caught in the North Carolina fall fishery (table 1). Catches in 1962 were smaller than in 1961 in the South and Middle Atlantic Areas and in the North Carolina fall fishery, but Table 1. — llean anoual catch, mean number of purse seine sets, and mean catch per set, 19S5-61; and the catch, number of sets, and catch per set, 1962, Atlantic menhaden purse Seine fishery Catch Purse seine sets tiean catch per purse seine set Mean 1955-61 1962^ Kean 1955-61 1962 Mean 1955-61 1962 SUMIIER FISilERY South Atlantic... Chesapeake Bay.... Kiddle Atlantic... North Atlantic Total FALL FISHERY North Carolina,... Grand total Thousand tons 53 135 311 67 566 75 641 Thousand tons 2 *= 'l66 307 79 600 '29 629 number 3,078 7,809 13,089 2,547 26,523 1,845 28,368 Number 3,000 7,084 12,472 3,239 25,795 513 26,308 Tons 17 17 24 26 21 41 23 Tons 16 23 25 25 23 57 24 Source; Fishery statistics of the United States, 1962, by Edward A. PcTwer, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Statistical Digest No, 56. . ^ Fish caught in the Chesapeake Bay area and landed at Wildwood are included in the catch for the Chesapeake Bay area. 3 The North Carolina fall fishery normally extends into January; therefore, catch total Includes January 1963, but not January 1962. Seasonal breakdown of the catch waa obtained from U, S. Fish and Wildlife Service, C.F.S, Nos. 2835 and 3132. larger in the Chesapeake Bay and North At- lantic Areas. As in previous years, the Middle Atlantic Area provided the largest part of the*" catch, but the North Carolina fall fishery. Figure 1. — Map showing locations mentioned in the text, menhaden reduction plants (en- circled), and geographic areas used in summarizing catch data on the Atlantic men- haden. rather than the summer fishery in the South Atlantic Area, provided the smallest part of the catch. The number of purse seine sets in 1962 was 10 percent less in the summer fishery than in 1961, and 59 percent less inthefall fishery; the total number of sets was less than in any previous year for which we have records (table 1). The large decrease in the fall fishery was due principally to unfavorable weather. The mean catch per set was Z3 tons in the summer fishery and 24 tons in the total fishery, both slightly more than the 1955-61 mean, and 57 tons in the North Carolina fall fishery, considerably more than the 1955-61 mean (table 1). South Atlantic Area Three vessels fished out of Fernandina Beach, Fla., five out of Southport, N.C., and eight out of Beaufort, N.C. Vessels from Fernandina Beach made the first landings of the season on April 9 off Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Fishing through June was confined to waters between Jacksonville Beach and St. Andrews Sound, Ga. From July 2 to about July 18, scattered landings also were made as far north as Doboy Sound, Ga. From the middle of July until the season ended on November 12, nearly all catches were made between St. Andrews Sound and Jacksonville Beach. Southport vessels began fishing on May 10, and landings were good throughout May and June. Although most fishing in May was done between Shallotte Inlet and the mouth of the Cape Fear River, N.C., some purse seining sets were used as far north as New Topsail Inlet. In June and early July, concentrations of fish were found as far south as Georgetown, S.C., but from July 7 to August 2, fish were so scarce that the vessels remained in port most of the time (catches were landed only on July 17, 20, and 23). Fish became nnore abundant from August 2 to September 4, but still were relatively scarce. Although schools of fish were found for a few days off George- town, most schools were located between Shallotte Inlet and the Cape Fear River. Fish- ing improved during September and October, with fair catches being made from the Cape Fear River area to Murrells Inlet, S.C. The season ended on October 25. Fishing began at Beaufort, N.C, on May 4. Three large vessels made frequent catches in outside waters until June 7, but made only 12 landings during the remainder of the season. Five small vessels fished in Core Sound from May 7 to October 12. Fishing was good through May and June but poor in July. It improved in early August, remained fair through nnid-September, and became poor again the rest of the season, which ended October 12. The catch in the South Atlantic Area summer fishery was 48,000 tons, 1,000 tons less than in 1961. The largest percentage of the sea- son's catch was taken in August (22 percent), followed by June (19 percent). May (18 per- cent), July (16 percent), September (16 per- cent), October (8 percent), and April (1 per- cent). Chesapeake Bay Area The fleet comprised 24 vessels from Chesapeake Bay plants and, from about June 2 to September 14, 5 vessels from Wildwood, N.J. Since Virginia's regulations prohibit purse seining in Chesapeake Bay before the last Monday in May, no catches fronn the Bay were landed until May 28. Prior to that date, eight landings were made outside the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Through the middle of June, fishing was concentrated at the mouth of the Bay, but as fish disappeared, the fleet shifted to the vicinity of Tangier Island. Although fishing during the rest of the season occurred over most of the Bay, it was concentrated along the Maryland- Virginia boundary. The season ended November 2, The purse seine catch of the Chesapeake Bay Area was 166,000 tons, 36,000 tons more than in 1961. July ranked first in percentage of catch (32 percent), followed by June (25 per- cent), October (19 percent), August (15 percent), and September (9 percent). Middle Atlantic Area Forty-seven vessels fished fronn ports in the Middle Atlantic Area--21 from Lewes, Del., 10 from Wildwood, N.J., 6 from Tucker- ton, N.J., and 10 from Port Monmouth, N.J. The first catches were landed by Wildwood, Lewes, and Tuckerton vessels on May 16, the earliest date fish were landed since 1949. Port Monmouth boats landed fish on May 19. Initially, fish were plentiful, and all boats nnade good catches of large fish that were mainly from the 1958 year class. These fish remained off the northern New Jersey coast and the southern shore of western Long Island most of June. In early July these large fish disappeared, and schools became scarce until October. Landings during July, August, and September were less than in any year since the investiga- tion started in 1955. Five vessels from Wild- wood moved to Chesapeake Bay during the first week of August and did not return until the middle of September. At Port Monmouth no boats fished from August 11 to 20, and at Lewes three vessels quit fishing during the second week in August, one during the third week, and one during the fourth week. In October, large schools composed primarily of age-4 fish (1958 year class) appeared off the southern shore of eastern Long Island. Ex- cellent catches were made throughout the month as these fish moved westward off the Long Island coast. The last landing, made on October 31, ended the longest seasonfor which we have records. The total purse seine catch was 307,000 tons, the same as in 1961. If unusually large catches had not been made in late May, June, and again in October, the season would have been the poorest in several decades. June ranked first in percentage of the season's catch (28 percent), followed by October (21 percent). May (19 percent), July (14 percent), Septennber (9 percent), and August (9 percent). North Atlantic Area were unloaded either at Amagansett or into a special carrier vessel in Narragansett Bay and transported to the Amagansett plant. Fishing by Gloucester vessels began June 8 and ended August 25. Until the second week in July all fishing was done in Massachusetts Bay between Revere Beach and Nantasket. The boats fished in lower Cape Cod Bay for about 1 week in mid- July and thenreturned to Massa- chusetts Bay, where they continued fishing until the end of the season. The catch in the North Atlantic Area was 79,000 tons, 24,000 tons more than in 1961. June ranked first in percentage of catch (26 percent), followed by October (24 percent), July (20 percent), August (14 percent), Sep- tember (13 percent), and May (3 percent). The purse seine fleet consisted of 20 vessels-- 10 from Amagansett, N.Y., 6 from Point Judith, R.I., and 4 from Gloucester, Mass. One vessel from Amagansett landed fish on May 26, but the entire fleet did not begin fishing until May 28. Although some landings were made in Nantucket and Long Island Sounds, until the middle of July most of the catches were nnade off the southern shore of western Long Island from Jones Beach to Fire Island. Throughout this period catches were large. From the middle of July until early October, fish were scarce in all localities, and the vessels ranged fronn western Long Island Sound and the southern shore of western Long Island to Nantucket Sound and Cape Cod Bay. Large schools of migrating fish appeared off the southern shore of Long Island during the second week of October and remained most of the month. Aided by favorable weather, the Amagansett fleet naade the largest October catch on record. Fishing ended October 26. The first catches by Point Judith vessels were made May 27 in Narragansett Bay, and the last catches September 17. Fish disap- peared from that locality in mid- June, and the boats moved to Nantucket Sound, where they remained until fish disappeared at the end of the month. The vessels returned to Nar- ragansett Bay in July and, except for scattered catches in Nantucket and Long Island Sounds, remained there until fishing ended. After the middle of July, however, only three vessels continued fishing, and catches were small. The Point Judith plant was closed by civil ordi- nance on July 12 because of air pollution. It reopened July 30, but processed liquid fish only for the remainder of the season. After July 12, catches not landed at Point Judith North Carolina Fall Fishery The season was nnarked by the late arrival of fish and unusually bad weather. Only a few scattered landings were made before Novem- ber 15. During the following week, weather was fair and catches were good. Bad weather began again on November 25, however, and continued to the end of the season. In the few brief days between periods of high winds or unseasonable cold, few fish were located, and only 15 small landings were made. Most of the 45 boats in the fishery did not fish after November 24. The season's catch was 29,000 tons, the smallest since 1952. November ranked first in percentage of catch (98 percent), followed by December (2 percent). Distribution of Purse Seine Sets The estimated numbers of purse seine sets within 10-minute unit areas are shown in figure 2. Nearly all sets were made within the 20-fathom contour between lat. 29°40' N. and 42°50' N. Most of the sets were in Chesa- peake and Delaware Bays and in coastal waters from Cape Henry, Va., to Long Island, N.Y. For the third consecutive year no fishing was done north of Massachusetts Bay, but in contrast to 196l, fishing within the Bay was good and about 640 sets were made. Fishing in the Chesapeake Bay Area in 1962 was distributed uniformly throughout the area, although a somewhat greater number of sets was made in the upper part of the Bay along the Maryland - Virginia border. This distribu- tion is in contrast to 1961, when over 85 percent of the sets were around the mouth of the Bay. i)= ai- «>• BO" T9» TV^^ ' '/• tb- 'V Figure 2. — Distribution of purse seine sets for Atlantic menhaden, 1962. SAMPLING OF THE CATCH Sampling procedures followed those de- scribed by June and Reintjes (1959). The number of sannples taken at each port ranged from 12 to 193 (table 2). The number of tons Table 2, —Number of samples of Atlantic menhaden taken from purse seine catches, by season and locality, 1962 Season and locality SUMMER FISHERY Fernandina Beach, Fla Southport , N. C. Beaufort , N. C Reedville, Va Lewe s , De 1 Port Monmouth, N.J Amagansett, N.Y Point Judith, R.I Gloucester, Mass Subtotal FALL FISHERY Beaufort-Morehead City, N.C, Total Samples Number 36 19 39 193 169 158 127 12 13 769 25 794 of fish landed per sample was 784 for the summer fishery and 1,160 for the North Caro- lina fall fishery. Age Composition The percentage age composition and the calculated number of fish at each age in the purse seine catches from 1955 to 1962 are listed in table 3. The total number of fish caught in 1962 was the smallest on record. Age-1 to -4 fish constituted nearly 95 per- cent of the catch in 1962. Age-2 fish (1960 year class) contributed 39 percent (850.0 million fish), age-1 fish (1961 year class) 24 percent (522.4 million), age-4 (1958 year class) 21 percent (460.3 million), and age-3 (1959 year class) 11 percent (235.7 million). As in most previous years, fish of age 5 and over constituted only a small percentage of the fish landed. The 1958 year class, al- though not providing the greatest percentage of the catch as in the previous 3 years, was still abundant and contributed over half the total weight of fish landed. Furthermore, this abundant year class contributed more 4-year-old fish to the catch thanany year class in 1955-62. The percentage age composition of the catches, by area, for 1962 is shown infigure 3, and listed in table 4. The calculated number of fish in the different age groups is listed in table 5. Table 3. — Age composition (in percent) and calculated number of Atlantic menhaden (in millions) at each age in purse seine catches, 1955-62 [Most numerous age group underscored] Year Age 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-10 Total Age composition: 1955 24.71 20.68 34,21 8,73 10.01 1.2 3 0.35 0.06 0.02 100.00 1956 1.00 57.16 25,97 9,61 1.26 4.18 0.67 0.12 0.02 99.99 1957 8.46 41.97 41.00 3,26 2.52 1.40 1.22 0.12 0.04 99.99 1958 3.81 30.85 60.93 2,72 0.62 0.56 0.32 0.17 99.98 1959 0.21 74.69 16.27 7,58 0.67 0.22 0.24 0.08 0.03 99.99 1960 2,47 16.98 72.78 2,77 3.72 0.86 0.31 0.08 0.03 100.00 1961 0.01 30.60 19.28 43,06 0.76 1.15 O.U 0.02 0.01 100.00 1962 2.36 23.90 38,90 10.79 21.06 1.56 1.24 0.15 0.04 100.00 Number of fish: 1955 761,01 636.86 1.053,47 268.87 308.21 37.95 10.75 1.88 0.59 3,079.59 1956 36.37 2.072.95 941,71 348.42 45.60 151,49 24.38 4.47 0.88 3,626.27 1957 300.77 1.491.13 1,456,63 115.96 89.72 49,66 43.43 4.34 1.27 3,552.91 1958 106.06 858.29 1.694.99 75.75 17.31 15.61 9.01 4.69 0.10 2,781.81 1959 11.40 4,120.10 897,34 418.42 37.15 12.35 13.06 4.71 1.82 5,516.35 1960 72,17 495.82 2.125,45 80.85 108.63 25.26 9.07 2.48 0.68 2,920.41 1961 0,25 832,25 524,30 1,307.34 20.73 31.42 2.95 0.51 0.26 2,720.01 1962 51,58 522,42 850,02 235.73 460. 34 34.08 27.20 3.26 0.79 2,185.42 + = <0. 01 percent. Table 4. --Age composition (in percent) of Atlantic menhaden purse seine catches, by age, season, area, and year, 1955-62 [Most numerous age group underscored] Season, area, and year Age 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-10 SUMMER FISHERY South Atlantic: 1955 1.66 3.65 0.32 3.47 0.40 1.63 0.25 0.04 . 0,47 6.24 87.19 16.12 74.20 38.07 0,39 31,37 0.14 11.42 65.22 98.98 32.47 68.44 90.90 28.00 78.52 53.92 44.77 90.91 85,22 46,32 90.12 17.55 43.50 30.12 1.81 14.78 22.24 2.54 57.94 1.01 0.35 2,22 0.91 0,16 4.62 3.61 26.78 3.24 10,73 3,84 7,70 6.14 1.16 27.02 0.94 63.76 29.40 8.95 68.53 12.49 45.36 51.30 9.02 14.25 53.01 8.76 82.12 28.80 53.73 55.79 63.96 68.51 95.08 30.27 95.29 18.11 28.40 0,25 6,41 45,00 52.58 21.13 44.92 3.10 1.53 6.00 11.95 6.08 35.86 20.11 20.86 25.90 28.15 3.32 0.05 0.12 1.79 0.15 8.94 0.33 1.54 0.07 0.26 0.50 0.65 0.33 27.63 4,77 23.18 18,08 4.26 2.21 11.31 1.24 80.29 22.54 13.94 36.35 18.79 24.47 57.90 21.39 79.55 17.72 0.86 16,61 4.07 7.18 58.00 12.18 58.43 12.47 2.77 0.02 0.06 0.05 0.69 0.02 0.08 0.04 5.11 17.43 1.44 2.62 0. 12 0.30 1.82 0.59 42.14 67.55 8.22 16.06 8.43 7,56 26,93 5,53 63.53 1.96 4.15 5.40 2.63 10.30 18.92 3.30 36.22 0.06 0.01 0.04 0.02 0.04 1.40 1.41 1.26 0.03 0.06 0.41 0.55 2.45 12.84 40.96 8.59 6.75 3.11 4.90 10.49 8.28 0.32 20.61 3.84 3.14 3.21 5.87 5.73 6.79 0.26 0.26 1.02 0.02 0.07 0.17 0.08 2.00 4.65 6.42 8.95 5.13 3.20 1.48 1.01 7.67 0.04 3.31 2.89 1.48 3.40 2.17 0.35 2.98 0.10 0.06 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.21 0.54 1.29 1.46 2.36 1.77 0.36 0.22 0.86 0.46 0.25 0.91 0.44 0.71 0.81 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 Chesapeake Bay: 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 I960 1961 1962 Middle Atlantic: 1955 0 01 1956 0 01 1957 0 05 1958 1959 1960 0 02 1961 0 01 1962 0 04 North Atlantic: 1955 0 22 1956 1957 0.36 0 24 1958 0 11 1959 1960 0.71 0 01 1961 0 10 1962 0 41 FALL FISHERY North Carolina: 1955 0 01 1956 1957 0 02 1958 1959 0.30 0 22 1960 1961 1962 Table 5. --Calculated number of Atlantic menhaden (in millions) in purse seine catches, by age, season, area, and year, 1955-62 [Most numerous age group underscored] Season, area, and year Age Total 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-10 SUMMER FISHERY South Atlantic: 1955 6.51 13.27 1,47 13,86 2.21 12.18 3.12 0,48 10,71 42,40 742,32 255.20 1.147.88 117.91 315.20 1.051.86 111.84 506.20 297.55 334.24 674.37 1.056.16 490.88 2.058.36 142.58 311.76 207.34 16.66 190.28 302.78 22.73 994.72 13,57 3,58 16.82 1.87 0,14 8.28 30.76 60.42 105.74 10.91 231.56 13.01 0.63 0.42 8.25 1.72 57.65 1.81 11.52 0.49 3.22 5,25 14,78 2,64 197.99 32.28 312.26 232.82 58.05 19.75 194. 19 16.64 831.67 170.24 23.76 77.00 38.68 22.87 103.91 38.93 118.14 23.79 7.32 37.48 15.60 19.63 103.81 22,63 101,90 7,61 10,83 0,23 0.26 0.30 5.17 0.22 0,90 0,32 34.69 160,40 18,60 35,72 1,07 5,13 24.42 6.15 318.28 0,02 0,43 0.08 0.39 0.16 0.27 12.90 18,19 17.15 0,31 1,02 5.45 5.68 18.54 21.88 86.78 17.69 6.31 5,59 8.91 15.58 11.12 2.74 46,50 14,74 8,60 5,75 10,90 10.00 4.15 2.34 3,31 13.92 0.17 1.22 2,33 0.83 15.08 7.93 13.59 18.44 4.80 5,75 2.70 1.50 10.29 0.39 7.48 11,07 4.04 6.09 4.03 0.62 1.82 0.96 0,71 0.40 0.75 0.51 0.18 1.61 0.92 2.73 2.99 2.21 3,18 0.65 0.33 1.15 1.03 0.95 2.48 0.78 1.32 0.50 0.12 0.13 0.69 0.23 0. 11 0.24 0.37 0.75 0.50 0.10 1.28 0.03 0.15 0.55 0.10 0.08 0.54 0.42 391.29 1956 1,159.67 1957 363.16 1958 135,39 103.53 273.73 80,51 250,30 382,92 66.90 176.58 561.76 200.20 666.94 206.42 366.13 513.31 82 3.35 460.57 1959 1,157. 11 1960 399.43 1961 644.65 1962 551.87 Chesapeake Bay: 1955 746.46 1956 1957 741.76 1,239.38 1958 1,059.66 1959 2,284.05 1960 812.16 1961 716.65 683. 11 Middle Atlantic: 1955 1,018.95 1956 1,287.39 1957 932.53 1,361.24 1958 850.63 894.66 1959 519.71 1.277.75 1,716.74 1960 1,340.90 1961 187.61 214.36 0.42 13.58 92.66 1,035.81 1962 755. 17 North Atlantic: 1955 115.10 170,38 1956 1957 17.41 33.07 7.88 13.58 49.04 8.21 85.28 16,71 9.36 20.72 7.20 18.44 35.17 5,76 22,10 211,84 205.90 1958 49.13 93.44 1959 37.92 81.78 179.48 1960 182. 04 1961 4,60 2.05 51.08 26,97 23,30 98.08 35.99 38.76 45.17 17,17 148.51 1962 134.23 FALL FISHERY North Carolina: 1955 851.42 1956 36.37 284. 39 225.61 1957 12.41 29.34 6.87 14.32 10.71 0.71 383.26 1958 106.06 273.48 1959 0.69 58.31 178.96 1960 185.86 1961 0.25 6.97 174.41 1962 61.03 u Z 3 o 012345678 AGE 1962 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 YEAR CLASS Figure 3. — Age composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. In the South Atlantic Area, age-1 and -2 fish again furnished the largest number of fish (547.9 million) and the largest percentage (99) of the catch. As in most of the previous years on record, age 1 were the most abundant age group in the catch, but the percentage (54) was smaller than usual. In the Chesapeake Bay Area, the catch contained fish of ages 0 to 5. Age-4 fish (1958 year class) contributed 34.7 millionfish, or over 5 percent of the catch, the first year on record that this age group contributed more than a fraction of 1 percent in this area. Age 3 contributed 32.3 million fish, or nearly 5 percent of the catch, also a large contribu- tion for this age group. Age 1 furnished only 207.3 million fish (30.1 percent), the smallest number of fish and the smallest percentage of the catch for this age group in any year on record, except 1960. Age-0 fish furnished 42,4 million fish (6.2 percent), nearly 30 million more than in the previous record year, 1955. The total number of fish (683 million) declined for the third consecutive year and was the smallest in the 8-year period. Although fish of ages 1 to 9 contributed to the catch in the Middle Atlantic Area, age 4 furnished the greatest number of fish (318,3 million) and the largest percentage of the catch (42.1). This was the largest share of the catch contributed by this age group from 1955- 62. By contrast, age 2 provided the smallest number of fish (214.4 million) and the smallest percentage of the catch (28.4) for any year on record except 1961. Fish older than age 4 were relatively unimportant, contributing only 35.5 million fish, or 4.7 percent of the catch. The total number of fish caught (755 million) declined for the third consecutive year and was less than in any year from 1955-62. The catch in the North Atlantic Area, com- prising fish of ages 2 to 8, also was dominated by age-4 fish, which furnished the largest number of fish (85.3 million) and the largest percentage of the catch (64) since 1955. Fish older than age 4 numbered 23.1 million (17.2 percent of the catch), slightly more than in recent years. Age-3 and age-2 fish, however, contributed the smallest number of fish (25.8 million) and the smallest percentage of the catch (19,3) since 1955, The total catch num- bered 134 million, the smallest in any year on record except 1958, Fish of ages 0 to 7 were found in the catch from the North Carolina fall fishery; age 4 furnished 22.1 million fish, or 36 percent, the largest percentage of the catch by this age group in 8 years. The number of fish of all ages, however, was only 61 million, or 65 percent, less than the smallest number landed during 1956-62. Length Composition The length-frequency distributions (percent- ages) of fish in samples from purse seine catches are shown by age and area in figure 4 (see also appendix tables 1-5). The composite frequency curves and the numbers represent all of the individuals in the samples. The fre- quency curves for the different age groups are based on only the 20 fish of each sample which were aged. The lengths of fish caught in the South At- lantic Area ranged from 97 to 247 mm,, and the frequency distribution was unimodal and symmetrical. Because of unusually large numbers of older fish in the catches, lengths in the Chesapeake Bay Area ranged from 117 to 312 mm., some- what greater than in previous years, and the frequency curve was relatively flat; three poorly defined peaks at 142, 202, and 257 mm. represented ages 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Although more age groups than usual were present in catches from the Middle Atlantic >- O 15 10 5 0 5 0 10 51- 1 1 1 1 1 — SOUTH ATLANTIC AREA N = 9334 ^^^^^^^^^^ CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA N = 19003 T — r AGE-0 DIlAGE-2 AGE-1 rm AGE-3 cvlAGE-4 AND OLDER MIDDLE ATLANTIC AREA N = 33198 0 10 5 0 10 5 NORTH ATLANTIC AREA N = 14921 NORTH CAROLINA FALL FISHERY N = 2491 FORK LENGTH (MM.) Figure 4. — Length composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. Area, the composite frequency distribution curve was relatively symmetrical and uni- modal. Lenghts ranged from 172 to 357 mm. with a mode at 277 mm. The composite frequency curve of fish caught in the North Atlantic Area was sym- metrical and unimodal; lengths ranged from 252 to 342 nnm. Although age-4 fish dominated the catch, they generally were smaller than the age-4 fish in previous years. Fish younger than age 4 were less plentiful than in any previous year, but generally were larger. The composite frequency curve of fish caught in the North Carolina fall fishery ranged from 102 to 347 mm.; age-0 and age-1 fish accounted for the portion between 102 and 167 mm., and age-1 to age-7 fish accounted for the portion between 227 and 347 mm . As in previous years, females generally were larger than males. The greater differences occurred among the older, larger fish (fig. 5). Sex ratios were nearly equal {table 6), with about the same variation as in past years. 10 150 200 250 FORK LENGTH (MM.) 300 350 Figure 5. — Length frequencies of male and female Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. 11 Table 6, --Sex ratio of Atlantic menhaden in purse seine catches, by season and area, 1962 Season and area -Males Females Females to males SUMMER FISHERY Number Number 879 Ratio South Atlantic 843 0.96 Chesapeake Bay 1,884 1,813 1.04 Middle Atlantic... 3,145 3,289 0.96 North Atlantic 1,321 1,516 0.87 FALL FISHERY North Carolina 224 264 0.85 Weight Composition The weight-frequency distributions (in per- centage) of fish in purse seine catch samples, by area, are shown in figure 6 (see also appendix tables 6-10). Weights of fish ranged widely in all areas except the South Atlantic Area, where two age groups constituted over 99 percent of the catch. Mean Lenghts and Weights The mean lengths and mean weights of fish for the 7-year period, 1955-61, and for 1962 are summarized in tables 7 and 8; the mean lengths and weights of each age group in the 1962 catches are given, by sex, in appendix tables 11-15. Except for the South Atlantic Area, the mean lengths and mean weights of the combined age groups in 1962 were greater than those Table 7. — Mean fork length (am.) of Atlantic menhaden in purse seine catches, 1962, and mean of the mean lengths, 1955-61, by age, season, area, and year Season, area, and year Age 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SUMMER FISHERY South Atlantic; 1955-61 127 163 193 211 217 234 — — — __ 171 1962 152 158 181 203 — ~ — — ~ - 169 Chesapeake Bay: 1A6 144 196 205 220 239 244 270 278 280 264 287 "■ '.'- ■■ — 1962 224 Middle Atlantic: 1955-61 213 243 271 301 310 321 325 326 327 — 246 1962 — 204 253 278 288 318 327 338 333 345 — 280 Worth Atlantic: '-'- 217 267 282 287 294 306 304 317 318 325 324 330 331 337 339 339 344 1962 305 FAU, nSBERY North Carolina: 132 129 169 208 268 273 292 288 310 299 319 313 325 322 328 339 340 337 -- 10 5 .- 10 z UJ Ul S^ 0 >- ^ 5 O " Ul Ik 3 0 5 I r N = 3778 N = 6436 N = 2909 N = 488 1 1 \ \ 1 \ SOUTH ATLANTIC AREA CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA MIDDLE ATLANTIC AREA NORTH ATLANTIC AREA NORTH CAROLINA FALL FISHERY 1 — I — I — I — I — I — I — I — I — I — \ — I — I — f I — r 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 BODY WEIGHT (G.) Figure 6. — Weight composition of Atlantic menhaden in samples from purse seine catches, 1962. 12 Tabic 8. — Mean weight (g. ) of Atlantic menhaden tn purse seine catches, 1952, and mean of the mean weights, 1953-61, by ogc, season, area, and year Season, area, and year Age 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SUtWER PISUERY South Atlantic: 34 65 51 57 36 34 75 73 114 160 183 162 180 123 180 124 109 179 254 267 303 362 410 370 377 165 164 243 361 388 390 446 476 500 469 219 350 403 532 438 548 527 600 521 224 336 421 588 606 605 595 637 603 640 659 660 638 695 646 669 719 668 680 708 761 680 718 768 721 774 634 734 723 713 774 Chesapeake Bay; 1955-61 137 1962 tUddle Aclantlc: 221 North Atlantic: 472 534 FALL FISHERY north Carolina: 1955-61 393 436 for the 7-year period, 1955-61. The increase reflected the greater percentage of older, primarily age-4, fish in the catches. The mean lengths and mean weights of age-4 fish were less than the 7-year means in all areas except the Chesapeake Bay Area. The means of fish older than age 4 were about the same as the 7-year means, and the means of age-2 and -3 fish were greater than the 7-year means. The means of age-1 fish were less in the Middle Atlantic Area, but greater in the South Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay Areas. REVIEW OF THE FISHERY The characteristics of the 1962 purse seine catch reflect the susceptibility of the fishery to variations in year-class strength and weather. In the Middle and North Atlantic Areas, the fishery began about 10 days earlier than usual. Fish of the superabundant 1958 year class were plentiful from Cape Charles, Va., to the southern shore of Long Island, and remained concentrated off the northern New Jersey and southern Long Island coasts until early July. Favorable weather permitted con- tinual fishing during this period, and catches were larger in May and June than in the same period of any previous year. After these older fish disappeared in July, the catches in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas declined. From July to September they were smaller than in any previous year. The scarcity offish was related to the relatively low abundance of the 1959, 1960, and 1961 year classes. In early October large fish of the 1958 year class reappeared in extensive schools off the coast of eastern Long Island. The schools rennained relatively close inshore, where they were ac- cessible to the fleet, and favorable weather permitted the vessels to fish more days than was usual in other years. The season in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas continued about 10 days longer than in most previous years, and the catches in October set new records for both areas. Had not the large fish of the superabundant 1958 year class been unusually accessible in May and June and again in October, however, the 1962 season would have been the poorest of any recorded year. The large catch in the Chesapeake Bay Area--second only to the 1959 catch--resulted primarily from increased fishing effort. In addition to the regular fleet operating in the Bay, five large vessels from Wildwood fished there during July, August, and part of Septem- ber. The season also continued later than usual. The occurrence of three successively poor year classes and the increased effort on younger fish are expected to cause a sharp decline in catches in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas in the next few years. A series of large year classes must occur be- fore the catches can equal those of 1953-62. Since most fish found in the South Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay Areas are age 1, the catches probably will continue to fluctuate with year-class strength. A series of exceptionally poor year classes, however, could cause re- duced catches in these areas. SUMMARY 1. The 1962 purse seine catch of Atlantic menhaden was 629,000 tons--600,000 tons in the summer fishery and 29,000 tons in the fall fishery of North Carolina. The largest part of the summer catch was landed in the Middle Atlantic Area and the smallest part in the South Atlantic Area. 2. The estimated number of purse seine sets was less than the 7-year mean (1955-61) in all areas. The greatest number of sets (12,472) was made in the Middle Atlantic Area and the least nunnber (513) in the North Carolina fall fishery. The catch per set was 23 tons in the summer fishery and 57 tons in the fall fishery of North Carolina. 3. Fish again were caught in Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bays after being scarce for several years. As in previous years, the most productive fishing grounds were Chesapeake Bay and the waters within the 20-fathom con- tour from Delaware Bay to Long Island Sound. 4. In the Middle and North Atlantic Areas the catches in May, June, and October were the largest recorded for each month, and the catches in July, August, and Septennber the smallest recorded. High winds, rain, and un- seasonably cold weather curtailed fishing in the North Carolina fall fishery; only 15 land- ings were made after November 24. 5. The 1958 year class (age 4) dominated the fishery for the fourth consecutive year in the Middle and North Atlantic Areas and ac- counted for over 5 percent of the catch in the Chesapeake Bay Area. For the third consecu- tive year, age 1 contributed less than 3 percent 13 of the catch in the Middle Atlantic Area and less than 45 percent of the catch in the Chesapeake Bay Area and was absent from catches in the North Atlantic Area. 6. Age- 4 fish generally were shorter and lighter; and age-1, -2, and -3 fish were longer and heavier than fish of corresponding ages in previous years. ACKNOWLEDGMENT We had the cooperation of the plant owners and managers, who provided space and facil- ities for sampling the catch and furnished records of vessel landings, and the vessel captains and pilots, who kept logbook records of their daily fishing activities. LITERATURE CITED June, Fred C, and John W. Reintjes, 1949. Age and size composition of themen- haden catch along the Atlantic coast of the United States, 1952-55; with a brief review of the commercialfishery. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 317, vi + 65 p. Power, Edward A. 1964. Fishery statistics of the United States, 1962. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Stat. Dig. 56, 466 p. 14 APPENDIX TABLES Appendix table 1. --Length- frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches, South Atlantic Area, excluding the North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Ag B Fork length 0 1 2 3 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T Mm. 90- 94 - - - - - - - - - > - - - 95- 99 - - - 1 - 7 - - - - - 7 100-104 - - - 1 2 7 - - - - - 7 105-109 - - - 5 - 9 - - - - - - 9 110-114 - - - 3 2 7 - - - - - - 7 115-119 - - - 5 3 8 - - - - - - 8 120-124 - - - 8 7 17 - - - - - - 17 125-129 - 1 1 19 13 33 - - - - - _ 34 130-134 - - - 29 27 57 1 - 1 - - - 58 135-139 - - - 31 24 55 1 - 1 - - - 56 140-144 - 27 42 69 - - - - - - 70 145-149 - 40 35 75 - - - - - - 76 150-154 - 2 22 19 41 18 8 26 - - - 69 155-159 - 34 21 65 16 21 40 - - - 106 160-164 - - - 53 56 113 12 25 39 - - - 152 165-169 - 1 40 42 83 31 21 63 - - - 147 170-174 - 35 37 73 47 46 104 - - - 178 175-179 - - - 31 29 63 57 56 132 - - - 195 180-184 - - - 25 24 49 59 65 134 1 - 1 184 185-189 - - - 16 19 35 51 68 124 - 1 1 160 190-194 - - - 12 11 23 46 67 117 - 1 1 141 195-199 - - - 9 10 19 24 30 54 - 1 1 74 200-204 - - - 2 4 9 11 15 27 1 1 2 38 205-209 - - - 2 1 5 3 5 8 - - 1 14 210-214 - - - - - 2 4 2 7 2 - 2 11 215-219 - - - 2 - 4 - 4 6 - - - 10 220-224 - - - - - - 1 1 3 - - 1 4 225-229 - - - - 1 1 1 - 1 - - 1 3 230-234 - - - - - - - 3 4 - - - 4 235-239 - - - 1 - 1 1 1 2 1 - 1 4 240-244 - - - 1 - 1 - - 1 - - - 2 245-249 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - 1 Total - 8 8 454 429 931 384 438 895 5 4 12 1,846 15 Appendix table 2. — Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Age Fork length 0 1 2 3 4 5 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T Mm. 110-114 - - - - - - - - - - - - . . _ _ _ 115-119 4 - 10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 120-124 9 14 29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29 125-129 12 9 32 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 130-134 19 15 46 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46 135-139 27 18 59 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59 140-144 31 33 71 - - - - - - - - _ - - 1 - - - 71 145-149 21 23 48 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 48 150-154 17 14 32 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 33 155-159 14 16 30 3 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 33 160-164 9 14 23 3 2 5 - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - 29 165-169 4 7 11 4 3 7 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 19 170-174 2 3 5 9 8 17 3 1 4 - - - - - - - - - 26 175-179 1 - 1 24 22 46 4 2 6 - _ - - - " - - - 53 180-184 1 1 2 50 28 79 10 14 24 - - - - - - - - 105 185-189 1 - 1 52 50 103 27 19 46 - - - - - - - - - 150 190-194 - - - 52 59 111 29 22 51 - - - - - - - - - 162 195-199 - - - 71 64 135 38 30 68 - - - - - - - - - 203 200-204 - - - 67 46 113 37 39 76 - - - - - - - - 189 205-209 - - - 30 49 79 49 28 77 - . - - - - - - - 156 210-214 - - - 35 32 67 36 34 70 - - - - - - - . . 137 215-219 - - . 27 32 59 37 29 66 - - - - - - - - . 125 220-224 - - - 34 31 65 34 38 72 3 - 3 - - - - - - 140 225-229 - - - 31 27 58 29 34 63 - - - - - - - - - 121 230-234 - - - 26 26 52 49 42 91 5 2 7 1 - 1 - - - 151 235-239 - - - 16 15 31 58 63 122 2 - 2 - - - - - - 155 240-244 - - - 13 16 29 68 64 132 1 3 4 - - - - - - 165 245-249 - - - 10 5 15 68 57 126 4 4 8 - - - - - - 149 250-254 - - - 1 5 7 103 74 177 4 4 8 - - - - - - 192 255-259 - - - 3 4 7 98 82 180 4 8 12 2 1 3 - - - 202 260-264 - - - 1 1 2 69 65 134 7 7 14 5 7 12 - - - 162 265-269 - - - - - - 62 71 133 11 10 21 14 6 20 - - - 174 270-274 - - - 1 - 1 35 52 87 20 12 32 15 9 24 - - - 144 275-279 - - - - - - 30 29 59 9 9 18 12 14 26 - - - 103 280-284 - - - - - - 10 22 32 7 7 14 17 16 33 1 - 1 80 285-289 - - - - - - 4 15 19 7 9 16 10 12 22 - - - 57 290-294 - - - - - - - 6 6 1 8 9 5 22 27 1 - 1 43 295-299 - - - - - - - - - 1 8 9 1 8 9 - - - 18 300-304 - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 1 3 4 - - - 7 305-309 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 - - - 3 310-314 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 - - - 2 315-319 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 320-324 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ToLal 172 167 400 563 526 1,092 988 933 1,923 86 94 180 83 103 186 2 - 2 3,783 16 Appendix table 3. — Length-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from piftse seine catches, Middle Atlantic Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined) Age Fork length 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T H F T H F T 170-174... 175-179... 180-184... 185-189... 190-194... 195-199... 200-204... 205-209... 210-214... 215-219... 220-224... 225-229... 230-234... 235-239... 240-244... 245-249... 250-254... 255-259... 260-264... 265-269... 270-274... 275-279... 280-284... 285-289... 290-294... 295-299... 300-304... 305-309... 310-314... 315-319... 320-324... 325-329... 330-334... 335-339... 340-344. . . 345-349... 350-354... 355-359... 2 5 2 7 8 13 8 4 6 7 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 5 4 6 14 7 5 1 4 5 1 1 2 2 1 4 7 7 11 14 27 15 9 7 11 9 5 5 5 2 2 1 1 2 6 10 18 8 13 21 24 41 33 30 64 65 88 108 128 108 77 39 13 10 7 1 3 1 6 4 7 13 16 13 11 25 39 44 63 81 85 112 112 96 58 21 12 4 8 2 I 2 12 14 25 21 29 34 49 70 58 69 109 128 169 193 240 220 173 98 34 22 11 9 5 1 1 2 4- 2 4 3 3 6 7 25 56 78 151 133 96 51 26 17 16 6 2 1 2 2 4 10 9 17 48 89 137 144 88 61 37 21 23 13 7 1 1 1 2 4 I 5 5 10 17 34 73 126 240 270 240 139 88 54 37 29 15 7 1 1 - - 1 6 13 56 101 172 245 203 122 77 62 69 60 57 27 11 1 2 1 2 3 U 45 104 187 257 190 130 83 86 75 60 64 48 43 15 4 1 2 2 2 6 16 67 146 276 432 460 314 207 145 155 135 117 91 59 44 15 4 1 1 1 1 1 9 12 28 20 17 7 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 5 12 17 16 21 11 8 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 11 17 40 37 33 28 15 8 2 2 ■ 4 14 11 19 9 6 4 1 1 4 16 22 26 23 8 1 3 _ 4 15 15 35 31 32 27 8 2 3 2 1 1 4 5 6 4 1 1 2 1 5 5 6 4 I 1 1 1 1 2 1 - - 1 1 4 8 7 13 26 41 40 30 37 47 62 77 68 81 118 142 192 244 380 492 691 800 735 476 307 211 208 186 187 152 128 105 69 45 17 9 4 1 Total... 79 62 141 919 37 5 1,796 689 715 1,405 1,283 1,411 2,696 102 98 201 68 104 172 4 21 25 1 2 3 - 1 1 6,440 Appendix table 4. --Length-f requeocy distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Atlantic Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Age Fork 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T bfa. 250-254 255-259 260-264 265-269 270-274 275-279 280-284 285-289 290-294 295-299 300-304 305-309 310-314 315-319 320-324 325-329 330-334 335-339 340-344 345-349 350-354 355-359 360-364 365-369 1 1 1 3 3 4 3 2 I 1 5 5 1 4 4 3 2 2 1 2 8 5 4 8 7 5 4 1 2 10 28 31 38 37 19 18 14 10 4 1 2 3 11 37 36 44 45 35 31 20 3 7 4 2 1 - 1 4 13 39 69 75 84 67 54 45 32 9 7 4 2 1 2 7 28 47 78 95 100 132 160 124 51 20 6 1 1 5 10 42 62 74 83 106 88 124 140 108 57 23 1 1 1 3 12 38 89 142 174 189 243 248 256 197 134 65 29 3 2 1 1 I 2 1 6 13 25 27 26 16 7 4 3 12 14 28 22 19 U 5 1 1 1 1 2 1 6 13 29 39 42 46 33 26 14 5 2 1 I 4 6 27 26 17 10 11 2 1 4 11 25 29 33 20 11 4 4 6 31 37 43 39 44 23 12 4 1 3 2 2 1 2 6 2 _ 3 2 1 2 9 2 4 2 1 1 3 1 2 4 1 - 3 1 2 4 1 2 2 9 33 83 163 227 266 267 318 329 361 287 231 146 111 44 24 13 2 1 1 Total 18 26 47 211 282 506 851 926 1,825 129 116 261 104 137 243 4 22 27 4 7 11 2,920 17 Appendix table 5. — Length-frequency distributionsof Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Age Fork 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total length M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T Mm. 100-104 105-109 110-114 115-119 120-124 125-129 130-134 135-139 140-144 145-149 150-154 155-159 160-164 165-169 170-174 175-179 180-184 185-189 190-194 195-199 200-204 205-209 210-214 215-219 220-224 225-229 230-234.... 235-239.... 240-244 245-249 250-254 255-259 260-264 265-269 270-274 275-279 280-284.... 285-289 290-294 295-299 300-304 305-309 310-314 315-319 320-324 325-329 330-334.... 335-339.... 340-344 345-349 2 1 1 3 1 2 6 2 1 1 1 3 4 3 1 2 1 1 3 2 3 9 6 4 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 7 6 8 13 9 15 7 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 5 9 10 12 18 9 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 2 9 8 13 22 19 27 25 10 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 4 2 5 4 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 7 5 2 8 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 4 3 7 11 11 3 9 3 1 2 1 1 2 7 6 11 4 4 5 7 S 6 3 3 3 4 14 3 12 10 10 6 14 13 8 4 2 3 1 2 10 10 25 7 16 15 17 14 20 16 11 4 2 3 2 1 2 3 7 1 1 5 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 4 8 6 3 2 4 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 2 4 1 1 « 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 2 3 9 6 5 4 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 7 3 11 9 15 26 34 41 58 28 31 20 30 22 31 28 23 11 6 4 1 2 Total 20 12 33 8 8 16 79 77 156 27 34 61 67 106 173 17 15 32 6 8 14 - 4 4 489 Appendix table 6. — Weight- frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. South Atlantic Area, excluding the North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Ag e Weight 0 1 2 3 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T G. 10- 19 - - - 2 1 16 - - - - - - 16 20- 29 - - - 14 7 26 - - - - - - 26 30- 39 - - - 57 47 106 - - - - - - 106 40- 49 - 1 1 68 64 132 2 1 3 - - - 136 50- 59 - 2 2 38 42 81 13 7 20 - - - 103 60- 69 - 2 2 48 50 105 20 25 47 - - - 154 70- 79 - 2 2 72 58 136 31 28 65 - - - 203 80- 89 - 1 1 44 40 85 52 49 112 - - - 198 90- 99 - - - 30 33 66 57 56 129 - - - 195 100-109 - - - 29 31 61 54 55 125 - - - 186 110-119 > - - 19 23 42 42 62 110 1 - 1 153 120-129 - - - 10 12 22 41 57 103 - 1 1 126 130-139 - - - 10 14 24 26 33 62 1 3 4 90 140-149 - - - 4 2 7 24 30 54 - - - 61 150-159 - - - 1 2 8 7 16 24 - - - 32 160-169 - - - 2 1 3 7 6 13 - " - 16 170-179 - - - 1 - 1 2 5 8 - _ 1 10 180-189 - - - 1 - 3 1 1 4 1 - 1 8 190-199 - - - - - - 1 2 4 - - - 4 200-209 - - - 1 - 2 - - 1 - - 1 4 210-219 - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 220-229 - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - 1 230-239 - - - 1 - 1 1 - 2 - - - 3 240-249 - - - - 1 1 1 - 1 - - - 2 250-259 - - - - 1 1 - 1 1 1 - 1 3 260-269 - - - - - - 1 - 1 1 - 1 2 270-279 - - - 1 - 1 - - - - - - 1 280-289 - - - - - 1 3 5 - - - 5 290-299 _ - - - - - - - - - - - 300-309 - - 1 - 1 - — — — — ~ 1 Total - 8 8 454 429 931 384 438 895 5 4 12 1,846 19 Appendix Cable 7. —Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex In samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Age Weight 0 1 2 3 4 5 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T S- 20-29 4 1 11 11 30-39 26 24 71 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 71 40-49 35 39 97 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97 50-59 44 36 88 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 89 60-69 29 24 56 5 . 5 - - . - - - - - . - - - 61 70-79 18 21 39 5 5 10 - 1 1 - - - - - . - - 50 80-89 7 14 21 6 5 11 2 - 2 - - - - - - - - 34 90-99 5 7 12 25 24 50 7 6 13 - - - - - - - - - 75 100-109 2 - 2 38 32 70 14 15 29 - - - - - - - - - 101 110-119 1 1 2 54 44 99 23 20 43 - - - - - - - - - 144 120-129 - . - 49 49 98 35 26 51 . - - - . . - - - 159 130-139 1 - 1 61 49 110 30 17 47 - - . - - - - . 158 140-149 - - - 52 51 103 34 32 66 - - - - - - - - 169 150-159 - - - 38 41 79 35 23 58 - - - - - - . - - 137 160-169 - - - 44 34 78 40 31 71 - - . - - - - . - 149 170-179 - . - 31 36 67 20 31 52 - - - . - - - - 119 180-189 - - - 20 23 43 29 26 55 1 - 1 - - - - - - 99 190-199 - - - 29 20 49 34 27 51 - 1 1 - - - - - - 111 200-209 - . - 17 26 43 26 26 52 2 - 2 1 - 1 - - - 98 210-219 - - IS 13 31 25 30 55 4 - 4 . - - - - . 90 220-229 - - - 17 12 29 25 25 50 3 1 4 - - - - - - 83 230-239 - - - 11 15 26 36 38 74 - - - - - - - - - 100 240-249 - - - 8 8 16 44 40 84 1 - 1 - - - - - - 101 250-259 - - - 7 6 13 44 32 77 1 2 3 - - . . - - 93 260-269 - - . 7 8 15 67 40 107 2 5 7 - - - - - - 129 270-279 - - - 7 9 16 52 42 94 2 1 3 1 - 1 - - . 114 280-289 - - - 3 7 10 49 50 99 2 3 5 1 1 2 - - - 115 290-299 - - - 3 2 5 53 57 110 4 5 9 4 1 5 - - - 129 300-309 - - - 1 1 2 50 42 92 3 3 2 2 4 - - - 101 310-319 - - - 1 1 2 48 30 78 5 4 9 5 3 8 - - - 97 320-329 - - - 1 3 4 24 28 52 6 7 13 5 3 8 - - - 77 330-339 - - - 2 - 2 23 39 62 3 2 5 2 3 5 - - - 74 340-349 - - - - - - 19 30 49 8 2 10 6 5 11 - - - 70 350-359 - - - - - . 18 15 33 7 6 13 8 6 14 . . - 50 360-369 - - - - - . 22 17 39 11 2 13 8 1 9 - - - 61 370-379 - - - 2 - 2 9 15 24 2 4 6 1 6 7 - - - 39 380-389 - - - - - - 12 17 29 4 7 11 2 8 10 1 1 51 390-399 - - - - - - 10 8 18 2 7 9 5 7 12 - - - 39 400-409 - . . - - - 10 9 19 3 2 5 5 8 13 - - - 37 410-419 - . . - - - 8 11 19 2 - 2 5 2 7 - - - 28 420-429 - - - - - 2 6 8 5 2 7 2 4 6 - - - 21 430-439 - . . - - « 7 7 14 - 4 4 4 4 8 - - - 26 440-449 - . - - . 2 11 13 2 4 6 2 1 3 - - - 22 450-459 . - - - . - - - - 1 - 1 5 1 6 1 1 8 460-469 . - - - - - - 2 2 2 1 3 4 7 11 - - 16 470-479 . . . - - - - 1 1 - 2 2 1 5 6 - - - 9 480-489 - - - - - - - 2 2 1 2 3 1 4 5 - - - 10 490-499 . - - - . . . 3 3 3 3 2 4 5 - - - 12 500-509 . . . - - - - 2 2 - 2 2 - 3 3 - - - 7 510-519 - - - - - - . - - - 3 3 - 3 3 - - - 5 520-529 - - - - - - . - - - 3 3 - 4 4 - - - 7 530-539 - - - - - - - - - _ 2 2 . 3 3 - - - 5 540-549 - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 2 - - - 3 550-559..... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 560-569 - - . - - - - - . - - - - 1 1 - - - 1 570-579 - . - - - - - - - 1 1 - 1 1 - - - 2 580-589 - - - - - - . . - - - - - - - - - - - 590-599 - - . . . - . - - - - - - - - - - - - 500-609 - - - . - - . . - - - - - - - - - - - 610-619 - . . - - . . . - - - - - - - - - - - 620-629 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - 1 Total 172 167 400 563 524 1,089 988 930 1,920 86 94 180 83 103 186 2 - 2 3,377 20 Appendix table 8. — Weight-frequency dlsCrlbuCions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in aamplea from purse seine catches Middle Atlantic Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not detemined! Age Weight 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T H F T M F T M F T M F T M F T G. 80-89 90-99 100-109 110-119 120-129 130-139 140-149 150-159 160-169 170-179 180-189 190-199 200-209 210-219 220-229 230-239 240-249 250-259 260-269 270-279 280-289 290-299 300-309 310-319 320-329 330-339 340-349 350-359 360-369 370-379 380-389 390-399 400-409 410-419 420-429 430-439 440-449 450-459 460-469 470-479 480-489 490-499 500-509 510-519 520-529 530-539 540-549 550-559 560-569 570-579 580-589 590-599 600-609 610-619 620-629 630-639 640-649 650-659 660-669 670-679 680-689 690-699 700-709 710-719 720-729 730-739 740-749 750-759 760-769 770-779 780-789 790-799 800-809 810-819 820-829 830-839 840-849 850-859 860-869 870-879 880-889 890-899 900-909 910-919 1 7 5 13 12 6 3 4 3 2 1 3 3 2 4 4 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 4 3 9 12 5 2 1 2 5 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 11 8 22 24 11 5 5 5 7 1 5 5 4 5 6 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 - 1 2 5 9 7 18 7 14 11 16 13 20 18 22 32 27 48 50 51 84 60 64 57 47 41 38 32 40 20 17 12 5 4 6 3 1 5 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 9 8 9 11 8 8 20 12 19 23 21 36 37 43 48 56 66 55 42 46 49 37 43 35 23 26 18 17 7 3 6 I 1 4 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 6 19 16 26 16 25 19 24 33 32 37 45 53 63 85 93 99 141 126 119 99 93 90 75 75 75 43 43 30 23 11 9 9 3 10 2 4 5 4 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 - - 3 1 1 3 3 3 2 3 7 6 12 24 32 48 56 58 70 50 52 40 42 24 21 15 16 14 8 10 9 11 9 6 7 10 3 4 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 4 5 7 13 15 14 25 29 44 58 50 77 54 47 38 36 24 20 16 11 15 11 5 12 6 16 5 6 12 9 4 5 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3 3 5 2 4 2 11 11 19 37 47 62 81 87 114 108 102 117 96 71 59 51 40 34 24 21 24 22 15 18 13 26 8 10 15 9 4 6 4 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 6 14 17 33 48 56 92 82 89 95 85 70 68 53 43 28 22 29 28 26 21 23 22 29 28 26 16 15 23 15 16 16 15 10 8 2 3 3 1 2 1 3 2 10 18 31 42 54 57 92 89 105 73 76 66 60 57 39 34 30 25 26 22 24 31 25 29 22 28 26 24 24 19 18 20 24 12 17 9 9 9 6 5 6 2 3 3 1 2 2 6 7 17 19 43 66 87 134 136 146 187 174 175 141 129 109 88 80 69 62 56 46 49 44 53 59 51 45 37 51 41 40 40 34 28 28 26 12 20 9 9 9 9 5 6 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 3 7 7 5 6 11 12 7 4 5 8 2 3 5 2 2 2 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 I 1 1 1 5 5 5 6 10 5 6 7 8 4 5 7 3 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 3 5 7 8 6 7 12 17 12 9 11 19 7 9 12 8 6 7 7 5 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 3 6 4 4 5 9 5 10 3 4 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 6 4 7 10 5 5 5 5 4 11 8 6 4 5 1 4 6 1 1 1 1 - I 2 3 8 4 4 6 15 9 17 13 9 7 8 6 5 11 9 6 4 6 1 4 6 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 5 1 3 1 1 1 - 1 2 1 1 1 1 I 2 1 2 5 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I _ 1 - - I 2 4 12 11 28 43 27 31 21 33 27 26 39 40 44 55 62 70 91 112 118 179 184 210 227 261 312 325 329 365 334 314 243 211 171 138 124 98 95 82 73 72 69 72 92 68 67 61 70 66 67 63 52 57 59 51 36 42 26 24 24 22 24 24 11 U ' 6 10 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total 79 62 141 918 874 1,794 689 714 1,404 1,283 1.410 2,695 102 98 201 68 104 172 4 21 25 1 2 3 - 1 1 6,436 21 Appendix table 9.' -Weight- frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Atlantic Area, 1962 [M - male, F - female, total, including specimens for which sex was not determined} Age Weight 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F t , 280-289 1 1 1 290-299 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 300-309 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 310-319 . . - - - - - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 320-329 1 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 330-339 - 1 1 - 2 2 . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 340-349 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 350-359 2 1 3 4 2 6 2 1 3 - - - - - - - - - - 12 360-369 . 2 2 4 2 6 5 1 6 - - - - - - - - - - 14 370-379 - 1 1 9 5 14 4 3 7 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 23 380-389 - 2 2 9 7 16 9 8 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - 35 390-399 1 2 3 10 7 17 15 8 23 - - - - - - - - - - - - 43 400-409 I . 1 14 12 26 22 15 37 - - - - - - - - - - - - 64 410-419 2 1 3 13 14 27 21 9 30 - - - - - - - - - - - « 60 420-429 2 - 2 14 7 21 20 14 34 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 58 430-439 1 3 4 16 13 29 33 27 60 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 94 440-449 1 2 3 13 10 23 33 25 59 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 86 450-459 - 2 2 13 14 28 36 26 63 - - - - - - - - - - - - 93 460-469 1 - 1 16 18 35 50 30 80 3 3 I - 1 - - - - - - 120 470-479 3 3 6 11 9 21 46 39 89 5 5 - - - - - - - - - 121 480-489 - 1 1 7 16 24 36 32 69 2 2 1 - 1 - - - - - - 97 490-499 - - - 5 20 26 59 32 94 5 I 6 - - - - - - - - - 126 500-509 1 2 3 12 9 21 52 32 85 5 - 5 2 3 5 - 1 - - - - 120 510-519 - . . 5 13 23 64 42 106 10 2 12 2 - 2 - - - - - - 143 520-529 . 1 1 4 17 21 45 44 90 5 2 7 1 - 1 - - - - - - 120 530-539 . - - 9 10 21 43 32 75 7 2 9 1 1 2 - - - - - - 107 540-549 - - - 6 •8 15 59 34 96 9 3 12 7 - 7 - - - - - - 130 550-559 . . - 2 13 15 36 43 81 12 4 16 9 2 11 - - - - - - 123 560-569 . I 1 6 6 14 34 40 76 10 1 13 9 1 10 . 1 1 - 115 570-579 - - . 1 6 8 29 40 69 10 5 16 7 3 10 - 1 1 - - 104 580-589 - . . 4 6 10 23 46 74 5 10 15 7 3 10 - - - - - - 109 590-599 - - . 2 8 10 20 51 74 9 7 16 7 5 12 - 2 2 - - " 114 600-609 - - - I 1 2 12 33 46 7 6 13 8 6 14 1 - 1 - - - 76 610-619 - - . - 6 7 12 47 60 3 11 14 9 5 14 - - - 1 - 1 96 620-629 - - - - 1 1 8 38 48 5 7 13 8 6 14 - 1 1 1 - 1 78 630-639 - _ - - 2 2 5 28 35 1 6 9 3 10 13 1 1 2 1 - 1 62 640-649 . _ . - 1 2 3 16 21 1 6 8 5 10 15 1 1 - - - 47 650-659 - - - - - 12 16 2 3 7 6 10 16 - 2 2 1 - 1 42 660-669 . - . - 2 2 23 24 2 6 8 2 12 14 1 - 1 - - - 49 670-679 . - - - - . 15 17 - 2 3 2 8 10 - 1 1 - - - 31 680-689 . . . . 4 4 9 15 - 3 3 . 7 7 - 2 2 - - - 31 690-699 - - - - - - 6 11 3 9 14 3 9 13 - 1 1 - - - 39 700-709 . - . - . - 5 6 1 6 9 - 4 4 1 - 1 - - - 20 710-719 . - . . - - 4 6 1 4 5 1 6 7 - 2 2 - - - 20 720-729 - - - . 1 1 - 3 3 - 4 5 - 4 4 - - - 2 2 15 730-739 - . - - - - - 3 4 - 1 1 - 2 2 - - - - - - 7 740-749 . - - . 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 - 2 3 - 1 1 8 750-759 - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 2 - 2 2 - - - - - 5 760-769 - - - - - - - 2 2 - 1 1 - 5 5 - - - - 1 1 9 770-779 - - . - - - . 1 1 - - - - 4 4 - - - - - - 5 780-789 . - . - - - - 1 1 - 1 1 - 3 3 - - - - - 5 790-799 - - - - - - - - - 2 2 - 1 1 - - - 1 1 4 800-809 - . - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 I - - - 2 810-819 . . - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 - 1 1 - - - 3 820-829 - - . - - - - 1 - - - - 1 1 - - - - 2 2 4 830-839 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - 1 1 - - - 2 840-849 *. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 850-859 _ _ . . - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 860-869 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 870-879 . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 880-889 - - - - . - - - - - - - 1 - I - - - - - - 1 890-899 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - 1 Total 18 26 47 211 280 504 849 923 1,819 128 116 260 103 136 241 4 22 27 4 7 11 2,909 22 Appeodix table IQ — Weight-frequency distributions of Atlantic menhaden by age in years and sex In samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [M - male, F - female, T - total, including specimens for which sex was not determined] Age Weight 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T £• 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-99 100-109 110-119 120-129 130-139 140-149 150-159 160-169 170-179 180-189 190-199 200-209 210-219 220-229 230-239 240-249 250-259 260-269 270-279 280-289 290-299 300-309 310-319 320-329 330-339 340-349 350-359 360-369 370-379 380-389 390-399 400-409 410-419 420-429 430-439 440-449 450-459 460-469 470-479 480-489 490-499 500-509 510-519 520-529 530-539 540-549 550-559 560-569 570-579 580-589 590-599 600-609 610-619 620-629 630-639 640-649 650-659 660-669 670-679 680-689 690-699 700-709 710-719 720-729 730-739 740-749 750-759 760-769 770-779 780-789 790-799 800-809 810-819 4 4 8 4 1 4 7 4 6 12 11 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 3 3 2 2 2 7 6 4 5 4 8 3 9 4 2 4 4 1 I 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 7 3 5 1 13 5 5 6 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 2 4 4 10 8 6 8 7 15 6 14 5 15 9 9 6 3 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 I 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 I 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 4 4 3 1 2 4 2 4 3 5 1 3 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 6 4 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 3 3 4 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 3 4 2 1 2 - 1 1 ) 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 3 4 11 6 5 5 3 8 2 6 5 5 1 8 7 9 7 6 6 3 7 4 8 9 8 4 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 I 1 I 1 - 1 4 2 1 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 4 6 12 14 3 1 1 1 1 3 1 5 2 4 3 5 5 13 11 8 11 8 18 8 19 U 28 16 16 13 10 13 8 10 8 7 5 10 12 14 17 9 9 5 11 9 U 11 11 7 4 4 7 3 2 4 2 1 3 3 1 I 1 1 2 1 Total 20 12 33 8 8 16 79 77 156 27 34 61 67 105 172 17 15 32 6 8 14 - 4 4 488 23 Appendix table 11. --Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches, South Atlantic area, excluding North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [Numbers of fish In parentheses] Sex Males Females Both sexes Fork length (um. ): 0 157.7 (454) 179.7 (384) 209.2 (5) 71.8 (454) 106.0 (384) 190.0 (5) 151.8 (8) 159.2 (429) 182.1 (438) 194.2 (4) 64.5 (8) 73.4 (429) 110.8 (438) 132.0 (4) 151.8 (8) 1 158.4 (883) 2 181.0 (822) 3 202.6 (9) Weight (g.): 64.5 (8) 72.5 (883) 108.6 (822) 164.2 (9) Appendix table 13, — Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches. Middle Atlantic area, 1962 [Numbers of fish in parentheses] Sex Males Females Both sexes Fork length (nm.): 1 204.4 251.6 274.2 283.7 314.2 320.9 322.8 334.0 163.9 297.8 372.7 416.5 581.3 613.9 610.5 758.0 (79) (919) (689) (1,283) (102) (68) (4) (1) (79) (918) (689) (1,283) (102) (68) (4) (1) 203.1 254.6 281.7 291.1 321.2 331.4 341.2 336.7 159.7 307.6 406.8 457.3 631.7 687.8 740.1 709.6 (62) (875) (715) (1,411) (98) (104) (21) (3) (62) (874) (714) (1,410) (98) (104) (21) (3) 203.8 253.1 278.0 287.6 317.7 327.2 338.2 336.0 162.0 302.6 390.0 437.9 606.0 658.6 719.4 721.8 (141) 2 (1,794) 3 (1,404) 4 (2,694) 5 (200) (172) 7 (25) 8-10 Weight (g.): 1 (4) (141) 2 (1,792) 3 (1,403) 4 (2,693) (200) 6 (172) 7 (25) 8-10 (4) Appendix table 12. --Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches, Chesapeake Bay area, 1962 (Numbers of fish In parentheses) Sex Age group Males Females Both sexes Fork length (ram. ) : 143.0 (172) 204.0 (556) 237.6 (985) 265.6 (86) 276.1 (83) 287.0 (2) 56.2 (172) 158.5 (556) 248.1 (985) 340.0 (86) 380.0 (83) 421.0 (2) 144.5 (167) 205.7 (520) 240.9 (929) 273.0 (94) 283.4 (103) 57.6 (167) 161.6 (518) 259.7 (926) 380.8 (94) 421.7 (103) 143.7 204.9 239.2 269.5 280.2 287.0 56.9 160.0 253.7 361.3 403.1 421.0 (339) (1,076) (1,914) 3 (180) 4 (186) (2) Weight (g.): 0 (339) 1 (1,074) (1,911) (180) 4 (186) 5 (2) Appendix table 14. --Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches, North Atlantic area, 1962 [Numbers of fish in parentheses] Sex Age group Males Females Both sexes Fork length (mm. ) : 2 281.2 (18) 290.0 (211) 300.5 (851) 311.7 (129) 318.3 (104) 326.0 (4) 327.2 (4) 413.3 (18) 455.7 (211) 505.2 (849) 558.7 (128) 599.3 (103) 653.0 (4) 633.8 (4) 282.6 (26) 296.0 (282) 307.7 (926) 325.1 (116) 328.9 (137) 332.4 (22) 345.8 (7) 407.8 (26) 491.1 (280) 547.0 (923) 634.2 (116) 667.1 (136) 684.9 (22) 771.1 (7) 282.0 (44) 3 293.5 (493) 4 5 6 304.3 (1,777) 318.0 (245) 324.3 (241) 7 331.4 (26) 8 339.1 (11) Weight (g.): 2 410.1 (44) 3 4 5 6 7 475.9 (491) 527.0 (1,772) 594.6 (244) 637.9 (239) 680.0 (26) 8 721.2 (11) Appendix table 15, — Mean fork length and weight of Atlantic menhaden by age and sex in samples from purse seine catches. North Carolina fall fishery, 1962 [Numbers of fish in parentheses] Sex Males Females Both sexes Fork length (tun. ) : 0 1 2 124.6 (20) 198.6 (8) 267.9 (79) 283.1 (27) 292.6 (67) 312.4 (17) 316.2 (6) 30.8 (20) 158.0 (8) 352.9 (79) 442.8 (27) 492.3 (67) 583.4 (17) 610.5 (6) 136.9 (12) 217.1 (8) 277.9 (77) 292.0 (34) 303.0 (106) 314.3 (15) 325.8 (8) 339.2 (4) 40.2 (12) 201.1 (8) 402.6 (77) 489.0 (34) 540.0 (105) 624.9 (15) 672.8 (8) 760.8 (4) 129.2 (32) 207.9 (16) 272.9 (156) 3 288.1 (61) 4 5 299.0 (173) 313.3 (32) 6 321.6 (14) 7 339.2 (4) Weight (g.): 0 34.3 (32) 1 179.6 (16) 2 377.4 (156) 3 4 468.5 (61) 521.4 (172) 5 602.9 (32) 6 646.1 (14) 7 760.8 (4) MS #1483 24 GPO 898 9 1: MBL WHOI Library - Serials llllllllill 5 WHSE 01718 Created in 1849, the Department of the Interior — a depart- ment of conservation — Is concerned with the management, conservation, and development of the Nation's water, fish, wildlife, mineral, forest, and park and recreational re- sources. It also has major responsibilities for Indian and Territorial affairs. As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the De- partment works to assure that nonrenewable resources are developed and used wisely, that park and recreational re- sources are conserved for the future, and that renewable resources make their full contribution to the progress, pros- perity, and security of the United States — now and in the future. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUREAU OF COMMERCUL FISHERIES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 POSTAGE AND FEES PAID U.S. DEPARTMENT OF-THE INTERIOR OFFICtAL BUSINESS Retuio this sheet to above address, if you do NOT wish to receive this material □, or if change of address is needed Q^ (indicate change). Karlne Diolosical Lab., g2E{ 7" Woods Hole, Mass.