Menhaden Fisheries
Lewes Maritime History Trail
Menhaden, a small bony, oily fish was pursued
not to be eaten but to be pressed for its oil and
ground into fertilizer. Lewes' fisheries began in
1883 and reached their zenith in 1953 when the
docks at Lewes strained unde the weight on
millions of pounds of menhaden, leading some to
call Lewes "the nation's largest fishing port."
The fisheries were the town's main economic
engines for the fist half of the twentieth century,
employing hundreds and supporting numerous
local businesses, including marine repair, rentals
for seasonal workers, and food services for the
shipboard galleys.
The Lewes menhaden industry collapsed in the
early 1960s as the local stock was severly depleted
from technological improvements that led to
overfishing. Nothing remains of the many
fisheries-related businesses that were once
located along Cape Henlopen Drive.
Marker is on Bayview Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
