This chart, from data retrieved from the NMFS commercial [Link to NMFS Commercial landings data set] and recreational [Link to NMFS Commercial landings data set] fishing pages, shows the relative annual catch in New Jersey for Atlantic menhaden and each of the four major recreational species associated with menhaden for the years 1986 to 1996.
 
 
Fluke
% of total Fluke
Bluefish
% of total
Bluefish
Striped Bass
% of total
Striped Bass
Weakfish
% of total
Weakfish
Menhaden
% of total
Menhaden
1986
12252808
14.8%
5970078
17.2%
36999
0.8%
3395665
22.2%
2453600
1.2%
1987
7964523
9.6%
6423976
18.5%
65976
1.5%
1848638
12.1%
2563300
1.3%
1988
8503241
10.2%
2191812
6.3%
498447
11.0%
647176
4.2%
1984200
1.0%
1989
614753
0.7%
3972990
11.4%
267269
5.9%
326130
2.1%
2854500
1.4%
1990
3048926
3.7%
3238712
9.3%
299262
6.6%
249248
1.6%
9041459
4.5%
1991
7143765
8.6%
3557337
10.2%
204497
4.5%
784311
5.1%
16597402
8.2%
1992
5312874
6.4%
2443416
7.0%
454933
10.0%
561505
3.7%
27470906
13.6%
1993
12786181
15.4%
1217527
3.5%
373188
8.2%
485366
3.2%
28296741
14.0%
1994
8514853
10.3%
1835496
5.3%
602924
13.3%
1643502
10.8%
38350412
19.0%
1995
7544793
9.1%
1870895
5.4%
849630
18.7%
2237290
14.6%
36579507
18.1%
1996
9381944
11.3%
1995649
5.7%
885609
19.5%
3101509
20.3%
35516726
17.6%
total
83068661
100%
34717888
100%
4538734
100%
15280340
100%
201708753
100%