A make-or-break moment for ‘the most important fish in the sea’

This Washington Post opinion piece lays out what we already know is at stake in the the fight to protect rapidly declining Menhaden stocks. What we did not know is how Virginia manages Menhaden and how it does not bode well in the fight to protect the most important fish in the sea.

In Virginia, fisheries decisions are made by the state’s Marine Resources Commission — except when they relate to one species. Yes, you guessed it: menhaden, which is instead managed by the 140 members of the General Assembly. This odd arrangement puts politicians, lobbyists and money, rather than scientists, in charge of menhaden. This, it goes without saying, does not bode well for making the tough choices needed now.

LINK (via: The Washington Post) 

The Pew Environment Group has been very active in the efforts to protect Menhaden through their Atlantic Menhaden Campaign. I urge you to spend sometime learning the facts about why it so important to protect Menhaden on the Pew campaign site.

People are paying attention!

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has seen a lot in its 70-year history but nothing quite like this. More than 128,000 people flooded the commission’s inboxes with postcards and emails last month, a new record for public comment. Scientists, small business owners, nature lovers, and anglers sent letters and spoke out at public hearings. And it was all about a fish that almost no one ever eats—Atlantic menhaden.

Comments

[Don Seaver]

A preliminary analysis of the menhaden stock performed in 2002 showed the spawning stock biomass was only 10% of its historic high while the other biological reference points for the species were at all time lows as well. This information was ignored by the fisheries managers in Virginia - the Virginia Marine Fisheries Commision (VMRC). Make no mistake, the scientists (please do not make the mistake of confusing VMRC with scientists) who looked at the information understood the species was in peril and the ecological effects resulting from the massive decline in abundance were evident more than 10 years ago. The hypothesis was floated that Atlantic menhaden is the KEYSTONE species along the Atlantic east coast and critical to the health of not only the fish stocks we fishermen persue, but also the ecosystem functions from the Gulf of Maine to Florida.

We now have a more effective means of disseminating information (Moldy Chum is one such conveyance of information) and building the needed inertia to force policy makers to make rational decisions regarding fish stocks. The question becomes "How far are we willing to push back once the spin doctors begin to weave their web"?