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Most people have never heard of it, and they certainly have not eaten it in its original form, but menhaden is the most important fish in the ocean. However, it is disappearing at an alarming rate. The east coast of the United States once teemed with immense schools, some as many as a mile across, but the devastation of the menhaden stocks over the last sixty years has led to severe dislocations in the oceans’ ecosystems. The decline of the menhaden has had particularly disastrous effects on fish species that feed on it, on bird species that use it as a food source, and on how clean the oceans are.
Menhaden are a small fish belonging to the haddock family, and they are not very palatable to humans, having a foul, oily taste and consisting of many small bones. Commercial fishing of menhaden since the end of World War II has primarily been for the production of feed for livestock, with ground-up fish used to make meal for chickens, pigs, and cows. Companies use spotter planes to find large schools and direct fishing boats to the location. Catches have declined almost forty percent since the 1960s and show no sign of leveling off or increasing. Unlike other species that are protected by government quotas, menhaden are not, most likely because they are not a species consumed directly by humans. This is unfortunate since the loss of the menhaden spells an eco-disaster of epic proportions.
Of principal importance are the many species of fish and other animals that feed on menhaden. They are the main diet for bluefish and striped bass, and both species have shown a serious decline in numbers. The striped bass was once the prized catch of the Chesapeake Bay area, but the specimens brought in by rod and reel now are weak sisters compared to the past. Not only do they lack the bulk of their ancestors, but they are also dying at alarming rates. Fish are not the only predators of menhaden, as birds also depend on them as a source of nourishment. Large colonies of osprey all along the eastern seaboard have disappeared in recent years, with the numbers of nests and birds reduced by fifty percent in some areas over the last ten years. There are similar statistics for loons in Chesapeake Bay.
The greatest threat from the loss of the menhaden is that the oceans have lost one of their great natural filterers. Menhaden swim in massive schools with their mouths open, allowing water to flow through their gills, which serve to absorb oxygen and grab plankton and other detritus from the water. They act like gigantic vacuum cleaners for the ocean. The cleaner water allows sunlight to penetrate to greater depths, which stimulates plant life that harbors other fish and shellfish and produces oxygen for the water. A With the decline of the menhaden, this process is in serious jeopardy. B Chemical run-off from farms, lawns, and houses ends up in the oceans, increasing the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water. C Algae grow in great numbers in these conditions, block the sunlight, and deplete the water of oxygen. D Entire coastal areas are lifeless, with the algae’s killing the fish. Menhaden had reduced the levels of these chemicals, but now that there are fewer menhaden, the algae have taken over.
The large companies that process menhaden disagree with the findings of environmental scientists. Since there is no accurate way to count the amount of menhaden in the oceans, they claim that the fewer menhaden are a result of a cyclical event and that the stocks will grow again in time. Yet, much of the menhaden catch consists of smaller fish, often less than one year old. These fish have not had a chance to mature long enough to become reproductive, and thus the commercial fishing companies are destroying future menhaden stocks in order to make a profit at the moment. The largest companies have had to lay off many employees, and many of their vessels sit idle at the wharf. In the long run, the menhaden will probably rebound once their numbers have reached the point where catching them is no longer profitable. Hopefully, laws will soon be in place to protect them from their greatest predator, mankind.
algae: plants that have no roots, stems, or leaves and grow in water or in other wet places
41 According to paragraph 1, the Atlantic Ocean menhaden are
A quite well-known to most people in the United States
B eaten only by other fish and not at all by humans
C not in any immediate danger of disappearing from the ocean
D eaten by birds and other fish as a part of their diets
42. According to paragraph 2, all of the following are reasons for the decline of the menhaden stocks EXCEPT:
A There is a lack of laws providing government protection.
B Improved fishing technology has helped catch more fish.
C People desire directly to consume them as a food fish.
D Farmers have a strong dependence on fish-fed livestock.
43. It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that humans consume menhaden
A as a result of eating livestock raised on menhaden meal
B directly from the oceans in their original form
C only in the eastern coastal areas of the United States
D for the healthy benefits from eating its oily flesh
44. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A There are prizes given for the best striped bass caught by sport fishermen in Chesapeake Bay.
B The striped bass caught by sport fishermen in Chesapeake Bay are not as large as those caught in the past.
C The Chesapeake Bay area is prized for the striped bass that can be caught by fishermen there.
D In the past the Chesapeake Bay striped bass fishery was more valuable than it is nowadays.
45. The word predators in the passage is closest in meaning to
A chasers
B stalkers
C watchers
D hunters
46. According to paragraph 4, the main influence on the oceans as a result of declining menhaden numbers is
A an increase in the number of lifeless areas
B an overabundance of plankton near the coast
C the decline of fish stocks that feed on menhaden
D increased human dumping of chemicals in the ocean
47. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
In addition, the algae sink to the ocean floor and prevent shellfish and oxygen-producing plants from growing.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
48. The word their in the passage refers to
A commercial fishing companies
B menhaden stocks
C largest companies
D many employees
49. According to paragraph 5, large commercial fishing companies argue that the shrinking menhaden stocks are the result of
A a normal cycle that will end some time in the near future
B environmental factors that are totally beyond their control
C fishing technology that has developed in recent years
D a lack of oxygen in the ocean as a result of too much algae
50. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas of the passage. Some answer choices do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points .
The decline of menhaden stocks is resulting in an environmental disaster taking place on the east coast of the United States that can only be averted with stern measures.
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A Improvements in fishing methods have resulted in larger catches in the last few decades that have depleted the stocks.
B The loss of menhaden has caused an increase in oxygen-destroying algae and created dead zones in the ocean.
C Despite a great deal of evidence, commercial fishing companies refuse to recognize that menhaden are declining.
D Many fish and bird species are disappearing because they depend on menhaden as one of their main sources of food.
E Unless the government puts a quota or ban on menhaden fishing, they will decline until it becomes unprofitable to fish them.
F Man’s desire for the meat of various livestock has directly led to the overfishing of menhaden in the oceans.
Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong.
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