■ 15 June 2010 | 5:15 PM
Northam forms menhaden fish panel
Undaunted by the quick exit of his menhaden management bill in the General Assembly earlier this year, state Sen. Ralph Northam has established a working group of lawmakers, environmentalists and at least one company that harvests the fish for commercial purposes.
Northam, a Norfolk Democrat, and Del. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, this year each carried legislation to give menhaden management authority to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
But neither bill survived.
Instead, legislation extending the current menhaden harvest cap was approved by the General Assembly this year.
Northam's menhaden working group is expected to meet several times in the coming months. Excerpts of the full release are below in italics.
The group will be co-chaired by Senator Northam and Senator Richard H. Stuart (R-Westmoreland). They will be joined by Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington), Senator John C. Miller (D-Newport News), Delegate Watkins M. Abbitt, Jr. (I-Appomattox), Delegate Albert C. Pollard, Jr. (D-Lively), Delegate Matthew James (D-Portsmouth), Delegate John A. Cosgrove (R-Chesapeake), and Delegate Barry D. Knight (R-Virginia Beach).
“As the designated steward of this particular resource, the General Assembly needs to take a long, hard look at the management of menhaden,” said Northam. “I believe the diverse and inclusive group we have assembled will take this task seriously, and help flesh out some of the complex issues involved with sustainable use of this important species.”
Stakeholder participants in the group will be Omega Protein Inc., Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Virginia Waterman’s Association, Coastal Conservation Association Virginia, Virginia AFL-CIO, NAACP, The Nature Conservancy, Virginia Bait Association, Virginia League of Conservation Voters, Virginia Seafood Council, Virginia Charter Boat Association, National Coalition for Marine Conservation, Tidewater Marine Trades Association, Virginia Association of Marine Industries, Bass Pro Shops, Greentop Sporting Goods, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. The panel will convene three times between July and November, and will hear presentations from resource managers, scientists, and user groups. Dates, times, and locations for the meetings will be set in the coming weeks. All meetings will be open to the public.
Menhaden are a filter feeding fish that inhabit US coastal waters from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. They support a large industrial reduction fishery, and are important as bait for commercial crabbers and recreational anglers. Menhaden are also a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay and western Atlantic Ocean ecosystems, serving as vital forage for commercially and recreationally important species such as striped bass, red drum, bluefish, and sea trout.
A recent report released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) showed that while menhaden are not currently overfished on the US east coast, they have been subject to overfishing in the recent past. ASMFC is the regional body responsible for management of menhaden and other fish stocks shared by Atlantic seaboard states. At the state level, menhaden are managed by the Virginia General Assembly. All other marine species are managed by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
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