Gulf of Mexico Coastal Herring and Associated Species Complex

The largest group of latent resource species in the Gulf of Mexico are the coastal herrings. The coastal herring and associated species complex includes Spanish sardines (Sardinella aurita), chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), Atlantic thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum), round herring (Etrumeus teres), scaled sardines (Harengula jaguana), and Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus). Menhaden represents the largest volume fishery resource in the U.S., but almost all of it is reduced to fish meal and oil, and not used directly for food. Several species of scad (Decapterus and Trachurus spp.) and Atlantic bumper (Chloroscombrus chrysurus), are also abundant in the area and share many characteristics with the coastal herrings. Based on years of exploratory fishing and collecting egg and larvae data, estimates of sustainable yields for several of these species range from 12,000 to 95,000 tons per year.

Publications

Research Reports:

  • Janhcke, M., J. Gooch, B. C. Posadas, and C. D. Veal. 1994. Evaluation of On Board Handling Techniques on the Quality of Various Coastal Herring and Associated Species in Conjunction with Market Evaluations and Economic Analyses to Identify Appropriate Product Forms for Domestic and Foreign Markets. Mississippi State University, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Coastal Research and Extension Center, Biloxi, MS.
  • Posadas, B. C., C. D. Veal, M. L. Jahncke, and J. A. Gooch. 1994. An Economic Analysis of the Domestic and Foreign Markets of Various Coastal Herring and Associated Species. Proceedings of the 19th Annual Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Technology Conference. University of FLorida, Gainsville, FL. (Available in portable document format (1.2MB)

Presented Papers:

Journal articles:

  • Janhcke, M. L., and J. A. Gooch. 1997. Sensory and Chemical Characteristics of Selected Gulf of Mexico Coastal Herring Complex. Journal of Food Science, 62(3): 626-631.