October 29, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) voted this week to approve a 20 percent cut to the 2026 Atlantic menhaden quota, a decision that New England Fishermen say will have far-reaching effects on bait supply and working waterfronts across the East Coast.
At its 83rd Annual Meeting in Dewey Beach, Delaware, the ASMFC’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board chose to approve quota specifications for only the 2026 season rather than a full three-year package through 2028, opting to revisit the issue next year amid continued uncertainty in the commission’s new ecosystem model.