Atlantic Menhaden
Brevoortia tyrannus

The Atlantic menhaden is a silvery-blue herring with dark spots on the sides. Large schools of menhaden visit the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn.

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Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) are a relatively oily fish and are harvested for a number of uses, including pet food and health supplements. (Photo by Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

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Appearance

The Atlantic menhaden has a blue, bluish-green or bluish-brown body. It grows to 14 to 18 inches in length. Its sides, fins and belly are silvery, often with a yellowish sheen. A dark, round spot on its shoulder is followed by smaller spots arranged in somewhat horizontal rows. It has a projecting lower jaw and a deeply forked tail fin.

Feeding

The menhaden is a filter-feeder. It swims rapidly to capture water in its open mouth, then filters plankton from the water to eat. Menhaden are capable of filtering up to seven gallons of water each minute.

Predators

Menhaden are forage species, which means they serve as an important source of food for larger predators, including bluefish, weakfish, striped bass, sharks, mackerels, and fish-eating seabirds and mammals.

Reproduction and life cycle

Spawning occurs over the mid-Atlantic continental shelf in spring and autumn. Eggs hatch at sea. Larvae spend about two months there before drifting into the Bay and other estuaries. Larvae eventually move into brackish waters, where they grow rapidly throughout the summer. Menhaden can live 10 to 12 years.

Did you know?

  • The Bay is an important nursery area for juvenile menhaden because of its rich supply of plankton.
  • The Wampanoag people called the fish “munnawhatteaug,” and used the fish to fertilize their corn fields.
  • A large crustacean parasite is often found in menhaden mouths. This is why the fish are also called bugfish or bugmouth.
  • Menhaden support one of the largest commercial fisheries on the Atlantic coast. While the fish is too small and oily to eat, menhaden are harvested for other purposes, including fertilizers, animal feed, supplements, cosmetics, and bait.
  • Atlantic menhaden are managed at the coast-wide level by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), a multi-state body that coordinates the conservation and management of 27 nearshore fish species.

Sources and additional information

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