Check out the FB group Menhaden – Little Fish, Big Deal. In the last month there have been 3 (perhaps 4) fish spills caused by the menhaden fishing factory boats, resulting in massive amounts of dead fish washing up on the bayside beaches of ESVA in Northampton County VA. Lots of pictures, videos, and eyewitnesses accounts, plus articles, information on violations, and over $300,000 Omega Protein (owner of the menhaden fishing boats associated with the reduction fishing) in the Chesapeake. VA is the only state on the Chesapeake that allows reduction fishing in state waters. Up until recently, the industry was regulated by the VA legislature. Now it has been turned over to VMRC but the committee is heavy with members who have ties to Omega and reduction fishing.
The most recent incident was yesterday with massive numbers dead fish (both menhaden and red drum) starting to wash up at Kiptopeake this morning.
Menhaden are foundational to the ecology of the bay both in the food chain and as water filterers. Omega takes 110,000,000 pounds from the bay annually. In addition to the FB page there is also a petition to be signed.
As long as the right palms are filled this sort of thing will continue…
Correction…only state in mid-Atlantic. Most recent was yesterday at Kiptopeake State Park and surrounding area and included red drum, puffer fish, and what looks to be what we call sea robins or black will.
but dont you dare think of taking your kid down to the water and letting him catch a pinfish or crab without paying the state. Meanwhile the robber barons are raping the bay and exploiting your childrens heritage! damn shame. all for a buck!
without this menhaden you will have no steamed crabs or Chesapeake Bay crab cakes. These fish are highly regulated and the watermen are not getting rich but feeding their families yet they are treated worse than the bastards that live off the system ebt cards ect
Sorry but they are not the bait industry. They are reduction, 2 totally different sectors.