The Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Purse Seine Fisheries: Origins, Harvesting Technologies, Biostatistical Monitoring, Recent Trends in Fisheries Statistics, and Forecasting

With its genesis in New England during the 1800's, the purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, expanded south and by the early 1900's ranged the length of the eastern seaboard. The purse seine fishery for Gulf menhaden. B. patronus, is of relatively recent development, exploitation of the stock beginning in the late 1940's. Landings from both fisheries annually comprise 35-40% of the total U. S. fisheries landings, ranking menhaden first in terms of volume landed. Technological advances in harvesting methods, fish-spotting capabilities, and vessel designs accelerated after World War II, resulting in larger, faster, and wider-ranging carrier vessels, improved speed and efficiency of the harvest, and reduction in labor requirements. Chief products of the menhaden industry are fish meal, fish oil, and solubles, but research into new product lines is underway. Since 1955 on the Atlantic coast and 1964 on the Gulf coast, the NMFS has monitored the fisheries for biostatistical data. Annual data summaries of numbers-of-fish-at-age harvested, catch tonnage, and fishing effort of the fleet form the basis of routine stock assessments and annual catch forecasts to industry for the upcoming fishing season. After landings declined in the 1960's, the Atlantic menhaden stock has recovered through the 1970's and 1980's. Exceptional year classes of Gulf menhaden in recent years account for record landings during the 1980's.

Lune, Wyre & Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee 17th January, 1977.

This is the report from the Lune, Wyre and Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 17th January, 1977. The report contains sections on angling information on the River Lune, fisheries activities, fish stocking, eel fishing in estuarial waters, and Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis which highlights its prevention on imports of salmonid fish and ova. The section on fisheries activities includes salmon and sea trout propagation in Middleton hatchery; fishing conditions/monitoring; and a proposed fish counter in the River Wyre. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South Lancashire Fisheries Advisory Committee 20th October, 1976.

This is the report from the South Lancashire Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 20th October, 1976. The report contains sections on fish stocking, the drought situation, and fisheries activities. The section on fish stocking includes background information about fish stocking by the Authority; difficulties; migratory fish; non-migratory trout and coarse fish; stocking after pollution; stocking of waters within the region; stocking with coarse fish; and recommendations. The section on fisheries activities looks at information on the effect of the hot summer on fisheries; artificial propagation of salmon and sea trout; fish monitoring/mortalities; poaching and information about Langcliffe hatchery. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Stillwaters monitoring programme summary results 2000

This is the Stillwaters monitoring programme summary results 2000 from the Environment Agency. In May 1997, a Stillwaters meeting was held to discuss the way forward in stillwaters monitoring. It decided upon the establishment of a three year rolling programme, in which three stillwaters would be monitored three times a year, every third year. During 2000, stillwaters monitored for the fourth year of the Stillwaters Monitoring Programme were Hatch Mere, Marbury Big Mere, Comber Mere, Tabley Mere, Tatton Mere and Melchett Mere. Algal, zooplankton and water chemical samples were taken on all meres. Surveys of Tabley Mere and Comber Mere continued on from last year when water quality concerns were highlighted. Continuous monitoring in Oak Mere, including water level data continued in 2000. Fish surveys were carried out in Tatton Mere and Comber Mere. Tabley Mere survey was abandoned due to the awkward bathymetry of the mere. No invertebrate samples were taken in 2000 due to lack of resources.