CCA and menhaden

[cobiaman]

Was at Green Top Sporting Goods on Monday the 15th. Started a conversation about the menhaden and soon about 7 or 8 people joined in. Since we were at the striper bait racks most of the participants were striper fishers. Some facts of the conversation:
1. Majority knew of the menhaden plight from articles in newspapers and internet from fishing groups.
2. Majority believe something needs to be done.
3. Majority knew of the oyster and blue crab issues.
4. Majority did not know of what the CCA-VA was trying to do. I
found this hard to believe. Only one was a CCA member
besides myself.
5. Tried to recruit any of the fishers to the CCA, some may join.

Some thoughts: I have realized the work of the CCA-VA must be communicated better. The crowd gave some great ideas, some need exploring. Even if the CCA-VA gets legislation of control of menhaden to the VMRC, Much more important work needs to pursued. Most knew of Omegas' new plant and feel if the reduction fleet is forced to the ocean they will go. Most believe Omega will not shutdown. This is almost the only state that allows menhaden to be harvested. Besides it is only 30 more miles to the bay entrance. Some of the 200 jobs are actually part time people. Reedville is not going to shut down. All believe 220 million pounds of anything is a lot.

I believe more support is out there if the message can get to most fishers. This needs to happen.

[Matt]

BTT

[Jim Bright]

Fishing a CCA tournament soon...my first one.

Someone on this thread said that in most cases people who fish these tournaments would be fishing that day anyway. I agree.

I'll be fishing that day, tournament or no tournament, and I will keep 2 fish. So will my fishing buddy.

So instead of just killing my limit and taking them home to feed the family, why not pay to enter a tournament where a portion of the proceeds goes to CCA, I can meet some fellow members, and along the way I'll learn a little bit more about fishing the bay?

[Sea Gristle]

Good for you Jim. I hope you win. Thanks for supporting CCA.

[Deltaville C-Gal]

Here are the facts.....

http://www.ccavirginia.org/

CCA of Va. - Menhaden Position Paper

It is often thought that menhaden are a commercial
species of little value to the recreational fishery, other
than those caught for bait. Menhaden are primarily
harvested by the commercial industry for industrial-scale
fish meal and fish oil production, with a growing number
used as bait for various commercial fishery uses such as
crabs and lobsters.

CCA VA believes menhaden are also among the most
important species for recreational fishermen and the
overall health of the Chesapeake Bay. They are one of
the primary forage species for a variety of important
recreational species. In historic numbers, they played an
important role in filtering estuarine water. In short, they
are one of the key components of the estuarine food web.

Management now calls for maintaining an adequate
spawning stock biomass (SSB) and allowing harvest at a
mortality rate that will yield the most pounds. CCA VA
believes this approach, which has been used on nearly
every commercial species over the past 30 years, is
particularly flawed for menhaden. CCA VA believes
management should focus on maintaining a population
of menhaden that allows them to fulfill their important
roles as forage fish, filter feeder, as well as commercial
harvest.

Landing patterns clearly show a shift to the
menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. In the 1950s and
1960s the Chesapeake Bay accounted for about 10
percent of the coast-wide harvest, by the 1990s it
accounted for nearly 60 percent. The coast-wide harvest
of menhaden during those times averaged 581,000 tons
from 1955 to 1665 and 331,000 tons from 1990 to 2000.
Thus, even while coast-wide landings have decreased,
the percentage of fish taken from the Chesapeake Bay
has increased to more than 50 percent of the coast-wide
landings.

The spawning stock biomass of the menhaden
population has also dropped significantly. During the
last 10 years, it has fallen to about 30 percent of what it
was during the period from 1955 to 1965. In fact, the
present SSB target is approximately 33 percent of the
average SSB during the late 1950s. The current
management plan’s artificially low SSB has not set off
a “trigger” in the plan that would cause management
action.

CCA VA believes menhaden should not only have
sensible mortality and SSB thresholds, but also a
population threshold and target. CCA VA is concerned
that the removal rate from the Chesapeake Bay (75
percent of the entire coast-wide harvest in 2003) is too
high for menhaden to fulfill their role as a forage
species and filter feeder.

To ensure Menhaden are adequately managed for
these purposes, CCA VA is working on two fronts:

1) Virginia General Assembly – Through the
introduction of legislation, CCA VA is asking the
General Assembly to move menhaden management to
the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Menhaden is the only species currently managed by
the legislature and this management structure is not
flexible enough to address management measures
handed down by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC) on a timely basis. Also, the
science-based management approach of the ASMFC
is better implemented through a professional agency.

2) ASMFC – CCA is asking the Menhaden
Management Board to do three things. First,
determine the biomass of menhaden in Chesapeake
Bay throughout the year and the biomass necessary
to serve their role as a primary forage species for
healthy populations of pisciverous species such as
striped bass, summer flounder, weakfish, bluefish,
etc. Second, determine the biomass of menhaden in
Chesapeake Bay necessary to serve their role as a
primary filter feeder. Third, determine an allowable
harvest of menhaden within the Chesapeake Bay and
other geographic regions.

CCA of Va. Deltaville Chapter President - Pete Covington

[Matt]

hey thats some good info.

not a word about the reedville economy. hmm

the spotted owl was an endangered species before govt would shut down logging

think about it

thanks

[stanleybros]

Another drive by with "facts." Got to love it!

[chefwrg]

you know what? That was well written......no extemist ranting, just a basic statement with the facts. Well done. Any argument or differing opinion should be written as thoughtful and fact filled as that one.

[Purdue1]

MENHADEN RESOURCE COUNCIL

News: For Immediate Release

October 25, 2004

SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP INDICATES MASSIVE CHESAPEAKE BAY
STRIPED BASS POPULATIONS MAY BE HARMING ATLANTIC MENHADEN AND FISHERY ECOSYSTEM

CHANTILLY, VA – Federal, state and academic fishery scientists recently convened a workshop arranged by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission intended to examine the ecological role of Atlantic menhaden, an important commercial- and prey- species, and improve the scientific understanding of its niche within the Chesapeake Bay.

The Commission workshop was designed to provide a forum for scientists to explore concerns about the status of menhaden populations within the Bay that have been principally raised by sport fishermen. While Commission scientists currently report that menhaden stocks are healthy and not overfished, some sport fishing advocacy groups believe that the health of predator fish species in the Bay – including striped bass, bluefish and weakfish – is threatened by the continued commercial harvest of their prey species, menhaden. For instance, these sport fishing enthusiasts suggest that several negative trends within striped bass populations, such as the occurrence of malnourished-appearing striped bass and skin lesions caused by mycobacteriosis, are the direct result of menhaden ‘shortages’ within the Bay.

By the conclusion of the three-day workshop, however, scientists determined that research conducted thus far has not indicated any link between the abundance of menhaden in the Bay and the incidence of mycobacteriosis in striped bass.

Furthermore, preliminary scientific models prepared by Commission scientists indicate that the increased occurrence of undernourished striped bass in the Bay may be the direct result of an overabundance of this species – not the result of concurrent, sustainable commercial menhaden harvests.

Because predator species like striped bass feed heavily on prey species such as menhaden, scientists have increasingly developed methods to estimate the cumulative effects on menhaden populations by predators. Based on these preliminary studies, scientists indicate that the consumption of juvenile menhaden by striped bass is significant. In fact, when compared to the number of these menhaden harvested by commercial menhaden fishermen, these studies estimate that striped bass conservatively consume an order of magnitude more menhaden than harvested by fishermen.

"It would appear that striped bass populations may have exceeded their natural carrying capacity within the Chesapeake Bay as early as the late 1990s," notes Niels Moore, marine scientist and graduate of the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences. "Indeed, the striped bass stock, which has continued to grow despite reaching ‘fully recovered’ status in 1995, may have now ballooned to a disproportionate, and potentially unsustainable, size within the Bay."

Marine conservation organizations and others also assert that fishery regulators may need to reduce striped bass populations in order to preserve the Bay’s natural ecosystem. According to the Asbury Park Press, Jim Price of the Chesapeake Bay Ecological Foundation states, "We need to kill more of these fish," and adds, "I want to see the Bay get back into balance."

For its part, the menhaden industry supports additional science – conducted by an appropriate scientific institution – that would evaluate the Bay ecosystem including water quality, habitat degradation, and the relationships between predator and prey species.

"Naturally, the menhaden industry and our fishing families have a great stake in assuring the continued health of the menhaden resource," says Toby Gascon, a representative of Omega Protein which is the largest harvester of menhaden in the Bay. "Over the years, industry has assisted in promoting, expanding and continuing research of many facets of the fishery. We look forward to an improved understanding of the Bay ecosystem."

In the meantime, the scientists participating in the workshop determined that while some of the concerns raised by sport fishermen merit further scientific study, no new immediate menhaden fishing regulations are necessary.

"We are pleased that Workshop scientists concluded that no additional regulations on our already highly-regulated fishermen are needed," states Gascon. "As we move forward, we hope that fishery scientists and user groups can work together, in earnest, to identify appropriate scientific research which will address questions about the Bay’s ecology. This is the most appropriate course of action to take at this time to ensure the continued health of the Atlantic menhaden population."

# # #

Menhaden fishing and its harvests have supported the Virginia economy since the late 1800’s. The menhaden industry has been the largest employer in the “Northern Neck” since 1913, and is even furthering expansion this year with the construction of a new $17 million processing facility to produce food grade omega-3 oil for enhancing the health of humans and animals.

The Menhaden Resource Council is an educational and informational organization supported by the menhaden industry. For more information on the menhaden resource please visit the MRC Web site at www.menhaden.org

[Purdue1]

News: For Immediate Release

March 23, 2004

SCIENTISTS REJECT SPORT ANGLERS SEEKING MENHADEN FISHING BAN IN BAY

CHANTILLY, VA – In a boost to conservative fisheries management based on science, marine scientists rejected two petitions introduced by a group of Virginia sport anglers at a recent board meeting of interstate fishery regulators. One of these petitions aimed to ban all modern fishing for the small, herring-like Atlantic menhaden – commonly called “bunker” – in the Chesapeake Bay, and would have needlessly eliminated one of the oldest commercial fisheries in existence in the United States.

A migratory fish, menhaden populations are managed through the interstate organization known as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (“ASMFC”). Under the auspices of this commission, menhaden populations have been tightly regulated, monitored and managed for decades to ensure that the fishery remains sustainable indefinitely.

Most importantly, according to fishery scientists, menhaden populations are currently in a “healthy” condition, and overfishing is not occurring.

Despite the good health of the resource, a small group of sport fishing enthusiasts from Northern Virginia called the National Coalition for Marine Conservation (“NCMC”) have lobbied to ban the commercial harvest of menhaden in Virginia’s Bay waters – raising eyebrows of marine scientists.

In December, the sport fishermen submitted a petition to the ASMFC that would have enacted a ban on all modern menhaden fishing in the Bay. Additionally, the NCMC proposed an amendment to the fishery management plan that governs the resource. Based upon its review of the sport anglers’ recommendations, however, state and federal scientists deemed that the amendment was unwarranted. Since the ASMFC meeting, the NCMC has apparently withdrawn its original proposal to ban fishing in the Bay.

According to Niels Moore, a marine scientist and graduate of the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, “The NCMC petition to ban menhaden fishing held no scientific merits. It’s introduction at a time when the menhaden resource remains healthy and well-managed raised obvious questions about the motives of these sport anglers. Clearly, the intent of the petition was unrelated to resource conservation.”

Aside from supporting a commercial fishery, menhaden populations also serve as a prey species for larger predators such as Striped Bass – commonly referred to as “stripers”. Striper populations have blossomed in recent years to levels not measured in recorded history, resulting in additional pressure on prey species including menhaden. In response, a minority of sport fishermen have proposed curtailing, or in the instance of the NCMC petition, eliminating the commercial fishery for menhaden altogether. Such proposals, though, are not supported by science.

“The vast majority of menhaden consumed by stripers are small, juvenile fish. In contrast, menhaden fishermen harvest mostly larger, adult fish,” says Mr. Moore. “It’s a ‘win-win’ situation for striped bass anglers, menhaden fishermen, and seafood consumers, alike. Hopefully, the withdrawal of the NCMC petition will usher more reasonable discussion between user groups about the role of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. ”

# # #

Menhaden fishing and its harvests have supported the Virginia economy since the late 1800’s. The menhaden industry has been the largest employer in the “Northern Neck” since 1913, and is even furthering expansion this year with the construction of a new $17 million processing facility to produce food grade omega-3 oil for enhancing the health of humans and animals.

The Menhaden Resource Council is an educational and informational organization supported by the menhaden industry. For more information on the menhaden resource please visit the MRC Web site at www.menhaden.org