Menhaden

Menhaden are schooling North American fish in the herring family, eaten by larger animals and harvested for fish oil and fish meal.

Atlantic menhaden: A menhaden species found along the Atlantic coast of North America, from Florida to eastern Canada. It is the best-studied and most heavily harvested menhaden species.
Fish meal: A protein-rich product made by cooking, drying, and grinding fish or fish-processing remains. Menhaden are processed into meal used in animal feeds and aquaculture.
Forage fish: Small fish that transfer energy from plankton and other small prey to larger predators. Menhaden are a prominent forage fish in Atlantic and Gulf coastal waters.
Atlantic menhaden management: The state and interstate process for assessing and setting harvest limits for Atlantic menhaden. Management decisions balance fishery landings against the stock's ecological role.
Gulf menhaden: A menhaden species native to the Gulf of Mexico and a major target of the regional reduction fishery. It supports a large fishery distinct from the Atlantic menhaden fishery.
Fish oil: Oil extracted from fish tissue, used in nutrition products, animal feed, and industrial applications. Menhaden are an important source of oil for supplements and commercial products.
Striped bass: A predatory fish native to the Atlantic coast of North America, also established in other waters. Menhaden are important prey for striped bass in many Atlantic estuaries.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: An interstate organization that coordinates conservation and management of shared coastal fish stocks along the U.S. Atlantic coast. The commission develops Atlantic menhaden assessments and management measures.
Filter feeding: A feeding method in which an animal strains small organisms or particles from water. Menhaden feed on plankton by filtering it from the water.
Reduction fishery: A fishery that harvests fish mainly to process them into meal, oil, or other products. Most industrial menhaden harvest is reduced into oil and meal rather than sold whole.

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ClupeiformesBroader topic: Their large fisheries and ecological role make them a prominent clupeiform example.