Assessment

Gulf menhaden are short lived fish, about 3 years, and produce millions of offspring annually, which allows the population to easily replenish itself each year.  While the sheer volume of menhaden which are reported to be harvested each year in the Gulf of Mexico is quite impressive, it pales in comparison to the total number actually occurring in the Gulf.  For example, the total population for gulf menhaden at the beginning of 1995 was estimated to be around 19.2 billion fish.  The total number of fish removed from the Gulf of Mexico for reduction was estimated to be around 3.9 billion fish, representing only 20 percent of the total population.  The NMFS conducts an assessment for the gulf menhaden stock approximately every five years.  The most recent assessment indicates that the Gulf of Mexico menhaden stocks are, in fact, healthy and not overfished, nor is overfishing occurring.  

Click the image below to view the complete 2007 assessment by Dr. Doug Vaughan and others from NOAA.

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