The Bait Purse-seine Fishery for Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, in the Virginia Portion of Chesapeake Bay JOSEPH W. SMITH and W. BRADLEY O’BIER Introduction oils and fatty acids (Joseph, 1985). this scaling vernacular was likewise Given these qualities and the ubiquitous applied to the menhaden bait gear. One Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyran- nature of menhaden schools, it is not source (Castro et al., 2007) indicates nus, are estuarine-dependent, marine mi- surprising that menhaden are a preferred that the term was coincidently adopted gratory members of the herring family bait for trap or pot fisheries for blue crab for bait vessels and purse-seine gear in of fishes (Ahrenholz, 1991). They are (Van Engel, 1962; Warner, 1976), Amer- Narragansett Bay, R.I. Regardless of the of moderate size, with some specimens ican lobster (The Free Press, 2010), and moniker’s origin, by an unusual nuance reaching over 300 mm in fork length and crawfish (LSU AgCenter, 2008). in Virginia fisheries statutes, regulatory weighing up to 1.0–1.5 kg. Menhaden The purse-seine reduction fisheries authority over the menhaden fisheries are ubiquitous, occurring in coastal for Atlantic menhaden are well-docu- in the Old Dominion resides with the waters of the U.S. Atlantic coast, and in- mented (Nicholson, 1975; Smith, 1991) legislature in the Commonwealth’s habiting most major estuarine systems. and stock assessments are conducted capital at Richmond, and not with the Spring through fall, menhaden form regularly as prescribed in the Fishery Virginia Marine Resources Commission large near-surface schools, which are Management Plan (FMP) for the spe- (VMRC) in Newport News, which regu- the targets of a large industrial fishery cies (ASMFC, 2001). During the early lates all other marine fisheries resources. for fish meal, fish oil, and fish solubles 1990’s, the Atlantic Menhaden Advisory With VMRC lacking statutory authority (Smith, 1991). Committee (AMAC) of the Atlantic to collect menhaden data, bait landings Menhaden flesh is high in protein States Marine Fisheries Commission by snapper rigs consequently often went (Dubrow et al., 1976) and rich in marine (ASMFC), which at the time was unreported. responsible for reviewing menhaden In 1994 the AMAC formed a Bait fishery-dependent data, was concerned Subcommittee to better substantiate The authors are with the Beaufort Laboratory, that harvests of menhaden for bait were menhaden bait landings along the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 101 increasing, while landings for major seg- eastern seaboard. AMAC members from Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, NC 28516 (cor- ments of the bait fishery may have been the Beaufort Laboratory of the National responding author: [email protected]). undocumented. Beginning in 1994, the Marine Fisheries Service, owing to AMAC took steps to improve data col- decades of work with the reduction lection of menhaden bait landings and purse-seine fishery in Chesapeake Bay, ABSTRACT—Through the mid 1990’s, age and size composition of the catch. were asked to document landings and the bait purse-seine fishery for Atlantic One substantial facet of the bait fish- age and size composition of the catch menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, in the Vir - ery that was suspected of under-reported in Virginia’s snapper rig bait fishery. In ginia portion of Chesapeake Bay was essen- landings was a directed purse-seine fish- this report we describe our efforts to im- tially undocumented. Beginning in 1995, ery for bait which developed during the prove data collection for the menhaden captains of Virginia bait vessels maintained deck logs of their daily fishing activities; 1970’s among several vessels in the Vir- purse-seine bait fishery in Chesapeake concurrently, we sampled the bait landings ginia portion of Chesapeake Bay. These Bay. Herein, we: 1) characterize the for size and age composition of the catch. craft were smaller than the vessels in the bait purse-seine fishery for Atlantic Herein, we summarize 15 years (1995– industrial fishery, with commensurate menhaden in Virginia by describing 2009) of data from the deck logbooks, in- cluding information on total bait landings reductions of gear and crew members. the vessels, gear, and disposition of by purse seine, proportion of fishing to non- The vessels and their purse-seine gear the catch, 2) describe catch and fishing fishing days, proportion of purse-seine sets are colloquially called “snapper rigs” effort, especially seasonality and areal assisted by spotter pilots, nominal fishing in Tidewater Virginia. The origin of distribution of the catch, using annual effort, median catches, and temporal and the term is ill-defined, but it probably logbook data sets, and 3) describe the areal trends in catch. Age and size compo- sition of the catch are described, as well as reflects local slang. Small bluefish,Po - age and size composition of the catch vessel and gear characteristics and disposi- matomus saltatrix, are locally referred through port samples, as well as the tion of the catch. to as snappers, and some suggest that disposition of the catch. 73(1) 1 Figure 1.—A blank Captain’s Daily Fishing Report (CDFR) form from the mid 1990’s. Data Collection distance from shore, and some weather they make at least one purse-seine set variables. CDFR’s were maintained during a given fishing day. Although Logbooks onboard by vessel crews throughout not required by Amendment 1, some At the start of the 1995 fishing season, the fishing season and were collected but not all snapper rig captains complete to better quantify menhaden bait land- at season’s end. CDFR’s for days when no sets are made, ings in Virginia, we identified and solic- Between 1995–97 most, but not all, noting if they did not leave the dock or, ited captains of menhaden bait vessels snapper rigs participated in the CDFR if they left the dock, that they did not to voluntarily complete daily logbooks program; beginning in 1998 to the pres- make a set on the fishing grounds. of fishing activity called Captain’s Daily ent, compliance by Virginia bait vessels Bait CDFR’s were collated, key- Fishing Reports, or CDFR’s (Fig. 1); has been 100%. In 2001, to ensure entered, edited, and stored as annual these are identical to CDFR’s completed future compliance, Amendment 1 of data sets at the NMFS Beaufort Labora- by reduction vessels where compliance ASMFC’s FMP for Atlantic menhaden tory. Summary and statistical analyses in Virginia is 100% (Smith, 1999). For (ASMFC, 2001) specified mandatory were performed using SAS (SAS, 1995) each purse-seine set, CDFR’s enumer- reporting of landings by all menhaden programs. CDFR forms were relatively ate time of set, an “at-sea” estimate bait purse-seine vessels preferably using unaltered through 2004 (Fig. 1). In 2005 of catch and fishing location, whether CDFR forms. At a minimum, snapper data fields were added to capture GPS an aircraft was used to direct the set, rig captains complete a CDFR form if coordinates of fishing locations; prior 2 Marine Fisheries Review Figure 2.—The Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay showing “large” reporting areas as defined by the CDFR program. to this, fishing locations were identified menhaden from bait vessels, all of which vessel’s fish hold. The sample is as- by one of seven large fishing zones in operate from the Northern Neck region, sumed to represent fish from the last the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay near the menhaden reduction factory at purse-seine set of the day, not the entire (Fig. 2) and by distance from nearest Reedville. Sampling intensity, or target boat load or trip. The agent ascertains prominent geographic point. In 2009, number of bait port samples for a fishing from the crew the location and date of the form was revamped again (Fig. 3) season, was about 40, based on a histori- the last set. From the bucket the agent so that data were optically scanned cal proportion of samples to landings in randomly selects ten fish (second clus- directly into electronic files, vs. data- the reduction fishery. ter), which are measured (fork length capture via the time-consuming key- Biological sampling of the bait fish- in mm), weighed (grams), and some entry process. ery is similar to that of the reduction scales are removed for aging. June and fishery and is based on a two-stage Roithmayr (1960) performed detailed Port Samples cluster design (Chester, 1984). The port examinations (validation and verifica- Beginning in 1995, the menhaden agent randomly selects the bait vessels, tion) of Atlantic menhaden scales and port agent at Reedville, Va., was directed and at dockside retrieves a bucket of determined that rings on the scales are to acquire dockside samples of Atlantic fish (first cluster) from the top of the reliable age marks. 73(1) 3 Figure 3.—A completed CDFR from a Virginia snapper vessel from the 2009 fishing season. Description of Virginia’s shore of the lower Rappahannock converted to a clam dredger for the surf Bait Purse-Seine Fishery River. clam, Spisula solidissima, and ocean for Atlantic Menhaden Of the five vessels active in the bait quohog, Artica islandica, fishery in the fishery over the past 5 years, three mid Atlantic, and also fished as a trawler Vessels were built for the menhaden reduction for horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphe- During 1995–2009, a total of eight fishery. TheTaylor’s Creek (Fig. 4) and mus. She was retrofitted again in 2005 vessels participated in the bait purse- Hushpuppy (Fig. 5) originally fished to purse seine menhaden for bait. seine fishery in Northern Neck. Up to on menhaden for reduction at Beau- The Osprey (Fig. 7) was originally five vessels fished during 1999–2000, fort, N.C.