July 14, 2025 — A landmark Louisiana-funded study confirms what decades of fisheries science have long suggested: the Gulf menhaden fishery is not a major contributor to red drum mortality in Louisiana waters.
The comprehensive bycatch assessment, conducted by LGL Ecological Research Associates and administered through the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, found that commercial menhaden harvesters were responsible for just 3.4% of red drum removals by number statewide in 2024. In contrast, 96.6% of removals were from the recreational sector.
These findings come at a time when misinformation about red drum bycatch has fueled public pressure for new restrictions on commercial harvesters. But the data tells a clear story: Louisiana’s menhaden fishery is both sustainable and responsible — and not a threat to red drum populations.
Backed by Independent Science
The study was funded through a $1 million appropriation by the Louisiana Legislature and carried out during the 2024 fishing season. It is the most extensive bycatch study ever conducted in the Gulf menhaden fishery, with data collected from 418 purse seine sets — 3.2% of total effort, exceeding the original sampling goal by more than 50%.
Observers and electronic monitoring systems were used to gather and verify data. The study employed advanced techniques such as Reflex Action Mortality Predictors (RAMP) and 24-hour live holding tanks to assess fish survival.
Read the full article at NOLA.com