January 15, 2015 — Atlantic Menhaden, the tiny fish that, two years ago, created big trouble between Chesapeake Bay environmentalists and commercial fishermen, is surfacing once more. Scientists have found new data that may prove there's more of the fish than once thought.
Menhaden is eaten by fish and birds; used as bait by watermen and anglers, and rendered to make fish oil supplements. They travel up and down the coast, in and out of bays making it difficult for biologists to ensure they're not being overfished.
In 2012, data indicated the fish were in trouble so regulators cut commercial harvests and fishermen lost jobs. But the data used was flawed. Robert Latour, a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, has been part of a team creating a better assessment tool.
“We kind of went back to the drawing board and really from ground zero just started the whole process all over again.”
Read the full story and listen to the audio at Virginia Public Radio