A new determination of stratospheric methane from 22 km to 35 km altitude with implications on the abundance of this constituent at greater heights is presented. Previous measurements, some of which showed large discrepancies with currently admitted values, have been reinterpreted and brought into agreement. The results are in contradiction according to present theories with the in situ determined CH4 abundances at the upper edge of the stratosphere. Implications on the vertical transport coefficient used in one dimensional models are discussed.