Fish oil, menhaden

Fun Facts

1. Atlantic menhaden—Brevoortia tyrannus—constitute the largest landings, by volume, along the Atlantic Coast. They rank second in the United States for landings behind only pollock on the West Coast, Alaska.
2. Menhaden are a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to cut risks of heart disease and possibly other diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
3. Menhaden play an important role in the Bay’s ecosystem as both a forage fish for striped bass, weakfish, bluefish, and predatory birds such as osprey and eagles as well as serving as a filter feeder because they feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton at various life stages.
4. Atlantic menhaden are primarily caught via purse seine in the commercial fishery. Omega Protein is the only commercial reduction fishery along the Atlantic Coast. The bait fishery for menhaden has become increasingly important from North Carolina to New England. The purse seine is highly effective and has little to no effect on habitat. Cast nets are also used for limited bait catch in the recreational sector.