School’s In

Brian Guest, a senior engineering assistant at WHOI, dipped his fisheye lens (fittingly) off the WHOI dock to capture this image of juvenile Atlantic menhaden schooling in late September waters. Menhaden often swim in large schools, some reported up to 40 miles long. Their abundance makes them an important part of the marine food chain, feeding bigger fish, such as bluefish, striped bass, and cod. Their name derives from the Native-American word munnawhatteaug, which translates to “fertilize,” indicating that Native Americans likely used menhaden to enrich their soil.(Photo by Brian Guest, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)