Menhaden

Gulf and Atlantic Menhaden are small oily-fleshed fish, bright silver in color, and characterized by a large main, Humeral Spot followed by a series of smaller spots. Menhaden are flat, have soft flesh, and a deeply forked tail with maximum length of 15 inches and a varied weight range.

America’s Menhaden resource has substantial ecological importance. Populations are monitored closely and subject to regular stringent stock assessments, conducted by state, federal, and academic scientists. For over 60 years, Omega Protein has cooperated with these organizations to conduct important research on Atlantic and Gulf menhaden such as providing daily harvest amounts and locations to the National Marine Fisheries Service to be used in important analyses.

Ongoing monitoring and sampling programs by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission contribute to careful management of both the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast menhaden populations, and indicate the present levels are able to sustain themselves.

The menhaden fishery is the oldest continuous commercial fishery is the United States, dating as far back as the late 1700’s on the Atlantic coast when pilgrims used menhaden as fertilizer for their crops. Our fishing partner at Ocean Harvesters is committed to fishing in a responsible manner; equally respecting the environment in which we operate and the health of the menhaden population that we harvest.

Regular stock assessments help everyone understand the status of both populations of fish so that appropriate fishing activities and regulations can be implemented. This constant oversight of our fishing practices and the status of the stock provides assurance that menhaden will be available for generations to come. Eco-labels and sustainability certifications serve to reassure our customers that Omega Protein’s products are derived from a sustainable source and that the fishery operates in a responsible manner

We believe healthy, sustainable ingredients are essential to good health and nutrition, and sourcing quality ingredients is just the responsible thing to do. Throughout our production processes, we monitor and control every step to ensure product integrity, consistent quality, and complete traceability.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a global non-profit organization, established to protect wildly caught seafood. The Marine Stewardship Council works with fisheries to change the way that the oceans are fished, and make it simple for consumers to purchase sustainable, traceable seafood. Omega Protein voluntarily complies with the Marine Stewardship Council certification and ecolabeling program, to aid in safeguarding the menhaden resource.