October 18, 2024 — The Gulf menhaden fishery continues to be harvesting sustainably and effectively managed, according to a new report by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC). Approved by the GSMFC at its annual meeting this week, the 2024 Update to the Gulf of Mexico Menhaden Stock Assessment once again confirms that the Gulf menhaden stock is neither overfished nor experiencing overfishing.
The updated stock assessment includes new data from 2021 to 2023, the years since the last Gulf menhaden assessment was completed in 2021. In addition to its primary conclusion showing no overfishing, the assessment has positive news for several other key metrics of the stock’s health. Spawning stock biomass (the combined weight of all fish capable of reproducing) has continued to rise steadily since the 1990s and remains at a high, sustainable level. Fishing mortality rates decreased in the 1990s and 2000s and have remained at lower levels ever since.