November 2, 2009 MEMORANDUM FOR: Industry Members, State, and NMFS Personnel with Special Interest in the Menhaden Fisheries FROM: Joseph W. Smith SUBJECT: Status Purse-Seine Landings of Gulf and Atlantic Menhaden for the 2009 Fishing Season Preliminary ‘final’ landings for the 2009 gulf menhaden purse-seine fishing season and Atlantic menhaden landings through November 1, 2009 for reduction in thousands of "standard fish"1,2 and metric tons (and for 2008 and 2004-2008 five-year average for equivalent time) are as follows: Gulf Menhaden 2009 2008 Change 5-yr average Change Moss Point, Empire, Abbeville, and Cameron combined: Total Standard Fish: 1,505,288 1,399,942 +7.5% 1,478,241 +1.8% Total Metric Tons: 457,457 425,442 449,237 Atlantic Menhaden Reedville3 : Total Standard Fish: 453,482 431,889 +5.0% 462,541 -2.0% Total Metric Tons: 137,813 131,251 140,566 1 To convert to pounds, multiply by 670 2 To convert to metric tons, multiply by 0.3039 3 Figure for 5-yr average may include landings at Beaufort, NC Joseph W. Smith Research Fishery Biologist voice: 252-728-8765, fax: 252-728-8619 NOAA, NMFS, 101 Pivers Is. Rd., Beaufort, NC 28516