United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Gulf menhaden, Largescale menhaden, Menhaden
Occurrence: native
Salinity: brackish
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: highly commercial | Ref: FAO, 1992
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: While in inshore waters, age 1 and older Gulf menhaden are subject to an intensive purse seine fishery that extends from Florida to eastern Texas fron about mid-April to early October (Ref. 34923). The fish are processed into meal, oil, and solubles at plants in Mississippi and Louisiana (Ref. 34923).
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Clupeiformes (Herrings) > Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens) > Alosinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Menhaden écailleux, Lacha escamuda, Bunker, ... more

Main reference

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985. (Ref. 188)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 35.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 20.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 188)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 15 - 22.5 cm

Environment

Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 188)

Climate / Range

Subtropical, preferred 24°C (Ref. 107945); 31°N - 19°N, 95°W - 80°W (Ref. 54290)

Distribution

Western Central Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico (Florida Bay, Gulf of Campeche, Mexico), but no certain records from Caribbean.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Scutes along belly; upper jaw with median notch. Pelvic fin with rounded hind margin, inner fin rays equal or nearly equal to outer fin rays when fin folded back. Pre-dorsal scales modified; scales in lateral series large, those on back and above anal fin base a little smaller and more irregular than rest. A black spot behind gill opening, followed by a series of spots along flank (Ref. 188). Back bluish gray, Sides brassy green (Ref. 37032).

Occur inshore in summer, but at least some moving into deeper waters from October (Mississippi Delta area). Feed in dense schools, filtering phytoplankton, but probably also feed at the bottom. Apparently breed in winter (October to February, with a peak in January). Salinity tolerance range from 0.1-60 ppt, but the commercial catch is mostly from 5.0-24 ppt. Marketed fresh, salted or canned. Mainly used as source of fish oil; also as fish meal (Ref. 188). Isopod is found in the mouth (Ref. 37032).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
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Ecology
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Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
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Abundance

References
Aquaculture
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Heritability
Diseases
Processing
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Tools

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Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.5156 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
2.2 ±0.07 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.15-0.47)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Low

Brevoortia patronus Goode, 1878