gulf menhaden
Brevoortia patronus
Menhaden of coastal and bay schools in the Gulf of Mexico, used mainly for oil and fishmeal. It has an intense commercial fishery.
Also called: savelha-do-golfo, sardina lacha, lacha escamuda, gulf menhaden
- maximum
- 35 cm
- depth
- 0–50 m
who is the gulf menhaden
Fish of the family Alosidae, up to 35 cm, with a common size near 20 cm. It forms dense schools in coastal waters and bays, and probably also feeds near the bottom. It occurs in the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida Bay to the Gulf of Campeche and the Yucatán Peninsula, with no reliable Caribbean records. It feeds mostly on phytoplankton, filtering water as a school. It has an intense commercial fishery, and the flesh is sold fresh, salted or canned. Its main use is as a source of oil and fishmeal.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the gulf menhaden; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It tolerates everything from nearly fresh to very salty water, but most catches come from brackish waters.
identification
Elongated, compressed silvery body, with grayish-blue back and green-gold flanks. It has a dark spot behind the gill opening, followed by a row of spots along the flank, which sets it apart from the finescale menhaden (Brevoortia gunteri). It has visible scutes on the belly and slightly smaller, irregular scales on the back. The pelvic fin has a rounded rear edge.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Mexico, it occurs in the Gulf, from Florida Bay to the Gulf of Campeche and the Yucatán Peninsula, in coastal waters and bays.
Habitat: Schools in coastal waters and bays, from 0 to 50 m deep.
rules for the gulf menhaden
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to anglers, with no dangerous spines or teeth.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh, salted or canned, but used mainly as a source of oil and fishmeal.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00871, b = 3.14; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Brevoortia patronus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Brevoortia patronusNames by country and language.
