July 21, 2025 — Steve Atkinson’s July 13 guest column (“Halt menhaden harvest until studies determine its effects”) is riddled with distortions about the menhaden fishery. While it claims to advocate for a “precautionary” approach, it would harm Virginia workers and undermine marine science, all to elevate recreational priorities over commercial fishermen’s livelihoods.
Atkinson demands that menhaden fishing be halted “until it can prove” it causes no harm. This is a classic “our fishing is more important than your fishing” argument. Recreational striped bass fishing has been linked to overfishing and high mortality, particularly from catch-and-release practices. Would sport fishermen agree to halt striper fishing until it’s proven not to contribute to the stock’s overfished condition? They haven’t thus far.
We don’t seek to end recreational fishing, because we recognize its economic and social value. It would be arrogant to suggest that because the bay is our workplace — and merely the playground of recreational fishermen — that our fishing is more important. We do not argue that waters exist only for us. We believe the bay and ocean should be equitably shared.