"What stimulated me and pleased me very much with my position as a research biologist, was that I felt that the government, under this program, was really trying to benefit the industry and the industry recognized that they would benefit.  As you said, it was best to have good data about the fishery and the fish.  So, we developed a very, very close relationship."

After two years of service in the U.S. Army, Charlie pursued his academic goals and received a Bachelor’s Degree in General Forestry from the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management and Fisheries from the same institution in the late 1940s. In 1955, Charlie joined the Beaufort Laboratory and became an essential part of the Menhaden Program. He played a crucial role in maintaining fishery-dependent data sets for the program, supervised port sampling efforts, and co-authored several influential papers on menhaden biology and fisheries. In 1961, Charlie transferred to the NMFS Pascagoula Lab in Mississippi, where he dedicated over three decades of his life to studying the fishes of the northern Gulf of Mexico. In July 2017, Charlie passed away at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of significant contributions to fisheries research and a passion for understanding and preserving the natural world.

Scope and Content Note
Charles Roithmayr discusses his involvement in the Menhaden Program at the Beaufort Laboratory.  He traces his early life in Brooklyn, New York, his education at the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, where he pursued both undergraduate and master's degrees in wildlife management and fisheries. He talks about the Menhaden program’s origins, which stemmed from concerns about the impact of chemical waste disposal by the DuPont Chemical plant on local fisheries. Roithmayr’s contributions involved collecting fishery-dependent data through port sampling efforts along the East Coast, emphasizing the cooperation between researchers and fishermen and the importance of data for fishery management. His scientific contributions are highlighted, including his role in determining the age of menhaden through scale analysis and his involvement in validation experiments. The significance of the 1958-year class of menhaden is emphasized. Charles shares anecdotes about swimming among juvenile menhaden and his interactions with Gilbert Smith Sr., a prominent figure in the menhaden industry. Roithmayr's travels along the East Coast to gather data on juvenile menhaden are discussed, as well as the dynamics of the fall fishery in Beaufort, where northern factory boats converged to fish on the migratory menhaden population. Roithmayr provides insights into the fall fishery, describing the fleet of purse seiners from various regions that participated. Roithmayr reflects on the size of menhaden roe and describes the fish as sizeable, weighing two to three pounds each. Humorous anecdotes from his time at the lab, including practical jokes and stories about menhaden industry owners, are shared. The transition from using crow's nests to spotter pilots after World War II is also mentioned. The interview concludes by discussing Roithmayr's involvement in Gulf menhaden research and publications, addressing topics such as fecundity, seasonal occurrence, and migration patterns. Finally, Roithmayr's reflects on his contributions to the Menhaden Program, Fred June's role in securing funding, and the program's extension beyond state waters.