March 26, 2012 – America' s Marine Fish Conservation Network has demanded an apology from the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). The following is from a press release issued by the Marine Fish Conservation Network after the March 21 "Keep Fisherman Fishing" rally in Washington, DC. The RFA was one of many sponsors of the event, which included commercial and recreational fisherman from across the country.
The RFA staged their “Keep Fishermen Fishing” rally outside Congress last week. An estimated 300 people attended, including a number of commercial and recreational fishermen.
However, on Friday a photo came to light confirming that Omega Protein was a central participant in the March 21 rally, which has left the Marine Fish Conservation Network Executive Director Matt Tinning fuming:
“We’ve long known that the Recreational Fishing Alliance does not speak for the more than 12 million recreational anglers from around our nation who love their sport and wish to ensure a prosperous fishing future. Their policy proposals and rhetoric are highly destructive to the futures of everyone who loves to fish. But today’s revelation that the Recreational Fishing Alliance teamed up with Omega Protein to convene this week’s ‘Keep Fishermen Fishing’ rally takes them to new depths. They must immediately apologize to our nation’s anglers.
“Omega Protein runs a reduction fishery that vacuums forage fish from the ocean in a way that steals fishing opportunities from anglers. Their destructive practices robs bunker from the mouths of striped bass and countless other species. Atlantic Menhaden has been called “the most important fish in the sea, and Omega Protein’s practices have reduced their numbers to just 8% of virgin spawning stock biomass. Just last year, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recognized the scale of the threat in an historic vote which is likely to ensure catch levels are reduced. Yet Omega Protein and their allies strongly opposed this critical first step towards sustainability. It was only possible because of years of tireless work by our nation’s recreational anglers.
“For our nation’s anglers to have to learn that a group who falsely claims to represent them is teaming up with ‘public enemy number one’ is a disgrace. RFA’s contempt for the health of our recreational fisheries is an affront to everything we’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Read the press release from the Marine Fish Conservation Network here.
Analysis: The Marine Fish Conservation Network, which writes that the menhaden reduction industry “vacuums forage fish from the ocean” and “steals fishing opportunities from anglers” misrepresents both the current state of the menhaden fishery and the Keep Fisherman Fishing rally held on March 21.
While the Marine Fish Conservation Network claims that Omega Protein and the menhaden reduction industry negatively affect angling and the marine environment, this is not supported by the available scientific data. In the last stock assessment issued by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) in 2010, the ASMFC found that the menhaden fishery was not overfished. There was slight overfishing in 2008, but it was not enough to significantly threaten the health of the stock, which still managed to produce new eggs at the target level. There has also been no significant pattern of overfishing in recent years, as 2008 was the only year in the last decade where overfishing had occurred. Further, NOAA has recognized that environmental factors play a much larger role in determining the size of the menhaden stock than does commercial fishing.
The Keep Fishermen Fishing rally was a public event, held on public property at the United States Capitol. All fishermen who support the central goals of the rally — focused on reform of the Magnuson-Stevens Act — were welcome to attend. A number of menhaden bait and reduction fishermen chose to attend the rally. Some of them work for Omega Protein. Omega Protein was not a rally sponsor, nor did they have a central role in its organization. No one associated with Omega Protein spoke at the event.
The list of organizers was published on the rally website, and does not include Omega Protein: "Rally organizers & supporters include Recreational Fishing Alliance, Southeastern Fisheries Association, Viking Village, Lund’s Fisheries, Fishermen’s Dock, North Carolina Watermen United, Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association, Southern Off Shore Fishing Association, Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Association, Long Island Commercial Fishermen's Association, National Association of Charterboat Operators, Montauk Inlet Seafood, Hull’s Seafood, New York Fishing Tackle Trades Association, Panama City Boatmen’s Association, Alliance of Communities For Sustainable Fisheries, Westport Charterboat Association, Garibaldi Charters, Monkfish Defense Fund, California Wetfish Producers, Rivercenter Marine, Garden State Seafood Association, Big Game Fishing Journal, , New York Sportfishing Federation, United Boatmen, Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, Atlantic Capes Seafood, West Coast Seafood Processors Association, Lower Columbia Alliance for Sustainable Fisheries, Ocean Isle Fishing Center, Tailwalker Marine, Fishing United, Raffields Fisheries, Patriot Sportfishing, the American Albacore Fishing Association, Montauk Boatmen’s & Captains Association, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association, Marine Trades Association of New Jersey and Viking Yachts."