Menhadden Fleet

[Double Haul]

After a wonderful weekend on the Rapp, was looking forward to fishing the rest of the week with no crowds. Looked out this morning and saw the menhadden boats scooping up everything and insuring the fishing was shot. Guess I'll have to go above the bridge to find anything to catch.
Interesting article in Tides (CCA magazine) on the menhadden, May/June edition. Shows that virtually all the menhadden catch is from the Md line down the the mouth of the Chesapeake. Guess it's the cost of fuel that keeps them inside the bay.

[warrenahrens]

They were in the river, I assume. Man, that irks my last nerve....why, why, why....are we the only state to allow them in the Bay / River. I wish they would get their fish from the ocean - fuel prices or not!!

[Double Haul]

Yeah Warren, in the Rapp.
And they were obviously doing well, they hauled the nets twice that I saw. Once near the bridge and once more off the silos.

Didn't see if they made more on the way to the mouth.

[FleetonLight]

The fish are caught in the bay because thats where they concentrate in the summers. They are caught below the MD line obviously because MD does not allow them in their waters. In the spring and fall the boats head offshore to points North and South from NJ to Cape Fear, following the fish as they move off into the ocean. Final answer, our state allows it most likely because thats the way it has always been. Also, the business has been contributing to our economy since long before you were born.
Not saying its right or wrong, but theres some answers for you.

Oh, and it's spelled Menhaden.

[Double Haul]

The way it's always been? I don't remember the historians talking about using planes and fishfinders.
Somehow, I think the volume taken from the bay is excessive. Seems to me I read a report that last year over 70% of the total menhaden caught came from the area between the MD line to the bay bridge tunnel. It also was a significant reduction from what they'd caught in previous years. Sounds like the number of menhaden being caught are getting smaller. Maybe that's why the fisheries folks are taking an active interest.
Anyway, the fleet was so interested in the Rapp they put 6 boats in the river and they stayed until 5:30 pm (check the time of my earliest post). That's when they steamed out of the river.
You figure there are any menhaden left in the Rapp? They hauled so many fish they paid overtime.

[Ware Fisher]

Double Haul is right - times have changed. The Bay desperately needs the filtering abilities of oysters and menhaden. Keep the menhaden fleet out of the Chesapeake and menhaden numbers will increase. the Bay will eventually become healthier and everyone, watermen and recreational fishermen, will benefit. At this point, it's pure common sense.

Is there really a legitimate reason to allow the taking of menhaden within the Bay?

[PDR]

One thing for sure THEY DO NOT GET PAID OVERTIME

[CyberDish]

Overtime.....
Keep em coming guys......
I should keep a list.....[grin][grin]

[warrenahrens]

........ok, take 'em all, purse seine 'em until their all gone, go for it; use five planes 20 steamers and make money, more and more; stretch a net across the entire bay and scoop up everything that swims by - we have the technology; I'm sure that will invigorate our economy some way too; dessimate the water because all the trendy people want to take fish oil tablets for their heart and live forever........geez.....

[Purdue1]

Cyber,

Add the last one to you all time top ten. That is a good one. Haven't been down your way for some time now. I believe the last time I was there we were eating at Elijahs...so that tells you how long its been.

[eastduck]

Guess what I heard…that George Bush Senior is on Omega Proteins board of directors. Seems as though one of their oil companies owns Omega Protein, with kind of clout we conservation minded interest , both commercial fisherman and recreational fisherman will loose every time.

[Seahunter]

Guess what I heard…that George Bush Senior is on Omega Proteins board of directors

....And the Tooth fairly lives in Richmond

Bush Sr. helped organize Zapata Petroleum Corp. in 1953 and was president until he sold his interest in the company in 1966. Zapata was then purchased by financier Malcolm Glazer and family who sold off the petroleum industry and bought a 58% share of Omega and a 79% stake in Safety Components International Corp in the 1990’s.

No mention of George on the Omega BOD

http://www.buyomegaprotein.com/about-board.html

[eastduck]

Sorry, never said my source was telling me the truth. Guess he did not know what he was talking about.

[lowprofile]

Don't you know we have it all wrong.
According to Omega it is the Rockfish that are hurting the Menhaden population.
I am glad they cleared that up for us.

[Coconuts]

I thought it was the crab population the stripers were hurting??[wink]

[vwh56]

Fished the Cell to 40A yesterday and there were 3 smaller ships with their net boats working just east of the Cell area aroung 9AM. The mother boat was positioned squarely mid-bay between Stingray and the Cell. I went throught the area within about 300 yards and only marked bottom feeding fish. They were working a depth line of about 30 feet. Pulled out a camera and started filming (just for show)then took off after some creative chatter on the VHF. For some reason they packed up fast and left the area. Guess they may have been concerned about the main camera boat that was to arrive shortly. Anyway they returned back about 4PM.
I've fished the bay many years and have yet to see a net boat work a school of menhaden that were on the bottom and didn't give off a slick when the net was being pulled. Who are our enforcement people answering to?

[Grady23]

Hey Guys -- At last check Omeg is owned by H&H Meats in Huston Tx.
Think there might be any money in George's coffer's from THEM.

[Lance 641]

I would'nt worry about seahunter if I were you. He has a nice list of organizations on his post but he is pretty much anti-conservation. Seen it over and over.[sad]

[CyberDish]

Purdue1 originally wrote:
Cyber,

Add the last one to you all time top ten. That is a good one. Haven't been down your way for some time now. I believe the last time I was there we were eating at Elijahs...so that tells you how long its been.


OMG that place is SOOO good now!!! I like it MUCH better now.. The same guy owns it that used to own the "Tavern" in Heathsville. VERY good food.

[Purdue1]

Wow, thanks we will have to head down there some Sunday for lunch.

[Slo-Pitch]

Its called Tommy's now. and its awsome. Sunday is good because its packed on Fri. and Sat.

[Seahunter]

but he is pretty much anti-conservation. Seen it over and over
Am I anti-conservation, no. Am I anti- bull %hit, yes.

The gentleman stated that GB Sr. was on the BOD of Omega. I provide information to the contrary so now I’m labeled anti-conservationist. I guess if I was a real conservationist I would have agreed with the statement and piled on even more disinformation to further the cause again.

If being a conservationist requires me to toe a party line and suffer retribution (thanks Lance) if I have the unmitigated gull to think for myself and voice my own opinion on a particular subject from time to time, no thanks. I don’t want it and I don’t need it.

Its comments like Lance’s that put a bad taste in my mouth and other’s with some of the so-called “conservation” groups. Sooner or later the “you’re either with us or against attitude” has got to go as far as I’m concerned. That attitude is not very conducive to winning friends and influencing people an does more to divide than united.

Lance,
If you where to actually take the time to see what the groups on my signature are all about I think you’ll find my views are in agreement with those of the organization 85-90% of the time.

If you don’t mind could you please refresh my memory with some of the non-conservation posts I’ve made over the years? With 1795 post to choose from it should be a pretty easy task for ya.

[eastduck]

Gentlemen,
I disagree with the comment that Seahunt is not a conservationist.
We would not be on this site or thread if we did not have some sense of conservation.
Additionally, I agree that what I said was based on misinformation. Misinformation will only hurt the cause of stopping the omega operation. I was a commercial fisherman when I was younger, I understand the business but do not know the specifics of omega. Seahunt gave me valuable information to correct my mistake. On this information alone Seahunt is a conservationalist.
I accept my mistake. Speculation of ones beliefs with little or no information is not right. But thanks for the back up and other information my misinformed comment created.

[Purdue1]

Wow, nice post Eastduck. From my readings of most the Menhaden posts you are definitely in the minority with your comments but I agree with you whole heartedly.