Saving Seafood

Panel rejects proposal to restrict menhaden fishing along Louisiana coast

November 9, 2020 — A growing conflict over Louisiana’s but largest but perhaps least-known commercial fishery came to a head this week when state leaders rejected a plan to restrict large-scale menhaden fishing near the state’s coastline.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission on Thursday voted down a proposal backed by recreational fishing and conservation groups that would have established a menhaden fishing “exclusion zone” to protect fragile coastal habitat and marine species from the long nets and large vessels operated by the menhaden fishing industry. The zone, which would have extended one mile out along the entire Louisiana coastline, mirrored restrictions enacted in other states, including Mississippi and Alabama.

Also called pogies, menhaden are tiny silver fish that play an outsized role in the Gulf of Mexico’s fishing industry. By volume, the menhaden fishery is the largest in Louisiana and the Gulf, and the second in the U.S. Often boasting annual harvests of more than 550,000 tons, the menhaden fishery far outweighs the Gulf’s famed commercial catches, including crab and shrimp.

Read the full story at Houma Today

Cooke-owned Omega Protein calls 10% cut in menhaden fishing quota ‘not unreasonable’

October 22, 2020 — Cooke-owned Omega Protein in Virginia said the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) decision on Tuesday to cut the US Atlantic coast menhaden quota by 10 percent “is not an unreasonable step.”

ASMFC voted 13 to 5 to cut the quota to 194,400 metric tons for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

In response to the reduced catch limit, Omega released a statement saying the company “recognizes the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s decision to reduce the coastwide [harvest] by 10 percent, while not preferred, is not an unreasonable step toward moving to ecological management of this species,” reported the Chesapeake Bay Magazine.

Read the full story at IntraFish

Atlantic coast’s menhaden fishing haul cut by 10% for 2021 and 2022

October 21, 2020 — A new way of thinking about fishing quotas will bring a 10% cut in the coastwide cap for menhaden, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission decided Tuesday.

The commission’s menhaden board voted to cut the quota for 2021 and 2022 to 194,400 metric tons from the current 216,000, a 10% reduction.

What drives the cut is a new approach to managing fisheries — an ecosystem-based one pioneered for menhaden, the small fish that is harvested for fish oil and bait and is an important source of food for other fish, birds and whales.

The older technique considers how many young fish join the population of a species in a year, how many die from natural causes and how many are caught. The idea with this traditional approach is to calculate how many can be caught without causing a species’ numbers to fall too far.

Read the full story at The Daily Press

ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Board Approves TAC for 2021-2022

October 21, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (Board) approved a total allowable catch (TAC) of 194,400 metric tons (mt) for the 2021 and 2022 fishing seasons, which represents a 10% reduction from the 2018-2020 TAC level. The 2021-2022 TAC was set based on the ecological reference points (ERPs) approved by the Board in August, and reaffirms the Board’s commitment to manage the fishery in a way that accounts for the species role as a forage fish.

“This TAC represents a measured and deliberate way for this Board to move into the realm of ecosystem-based management,” said Board Chair Spud Woodward of Georgia. “The TAC strikes a balance between stakeholder interests to maintain harvest on menhaden at recent levels, while also allowing the ERP models to do what they are intended to do.”

Based on projections, the TAC is estimated to have a 58.5% and 52.5% probability of exceeding the ERP fishing mortality (F) target in the first and second year, respectively. The TAC will be made available to the states based on the state-by-state allocation established by Amendment 3 (see accompanying table for 2021 and 2022 based on a TAC of 194,400 mt).

In determining which level to set the TAC, the Board also considered recent updates to the fecundity (FEC) reference points, and current stock condition. According to the latest assessment results, the 2017 estimate of fecundity, a measure of reproductive potential, was above both the ERP FEC target and threshold, indicating the stock was not overfished. A stock assessment update is scheduled for 2022 which will inform the TAC for 2023 and beyond.

For more information, please contact Max Appelman, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, or Toni Kerns, ISFMP Director, at mappelman@asmfc.org or tkerns@asmfc.org, respectively.

Menhaden board lowers allowable catch by 10% for Atlantic coast states, Chesapeake Bay’s cap stays the same

October 20, 2020 — The Atlantic Menhaden Management Board voted to lower the total allowable catch for Atlantic menhaden coast-wide by 10% in response to a change in management that considers the role the tiny oily fish plays as food for others.

After a few hours of discussion Tuesday morning, the board voted at its online meeting to lower the allowable catch to 194,400 metric tons for 2021 and 2022. No change was made to the allocation of menhaden that can be caught in the Chesapeake Bay, which is capped at 51,000 metrics tons. Maryland was among the states voting in favor of the change.

The total allowable catch was last changed in 2017, when the board increased it from 200,000 metric tons to 216,000 metric tons.

Earlier this year, the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board, a subset of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, approved the use of a new ecological reference point model to inform management that considers menhaden’s role as food for other species such as rockfish and bluefish. Instead of focusing on menhaden abundance as a single species, the model examines the interactions between the tiny silver fish and other key species in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, where it plays a vital role in the food chain, eating up plankton and being eaten in turn by larger fish and whales.

Using those new reference points, which assume striped bass are also fished sustainably, managers calculated different catch scenarios for the next two years.

Read the full story at the Capital Gazette

VIRGINIA: ‘Our Sundays Are Different’: Reedville Fishing Community Shares Their Passion for Family, Community, and Menhaden Fishing

October 19, 2020 — The following was released by Omega Protein:

Sundays have always been different in Reedville, Virginia, a community created and sustained by the menhaden fishery. For over 140 years, Sunday has been the day when the fleet leaves the dock for the open water, and fishermen set out to sustainably harvest menhaden and earn a living.

Yesterday, at the start of another fishing week, fishermen and their families shared their experiences in the new Omega Protein video Our Sundays Are Different.

In the video, fishermen share what Sundays mean to them. It’s a day when they must say goodbye to their families, churches, and community, but also an opportunity to work a good paying job and provide for their loved ones.

“I do it for one reason, and the same reason my father did it and my grandfather did it before me, and that’s to earn a livelihood that I can take care of my family comfortably,” says Kenny Pinkard, a fisherman with Omega Protein.

“For me to be leaving early and go fishing and not watch football, it just makes sense,” says George Ball, another Omega Protein fisherman. “I don’t get paid to watch football, and I’m the only income in my home.”

Family members also share how their Sundays have been shaped by fishing, and how the fishing season has become an important part of their daily lives.

“I would say our Sundays, at least during the fishing season, have always been a little emotional,” says Taylor Deihl, the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator for Omega Protein, whose father is the captain of a menhaden fishing vessel. “That first Sunday of every season, me and my older sister would always go out to the truck with my dad, rain or shine, to hug him bye. So I’ve grown up in this industry, throughout my life it’s been my way of life.”

Since its founding, Omega Protein has been an integral part of the Reedville community. We are proud to be a part of the region’s long fishing tradition, and will continue to ensure that, for the people of Reedville, Sundays will always be different.

View the video here

Additional Supplemental Materials for ASMFC 79th Annual Meeting

October 16, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

There are additional supplemental materials for the Atlantic Menhaden and Atlantic Striped Bass Management Boards. Links to both supplemental documents follow and can also be found on the 79th Annual Meeting webpage, http://www.asmfc.org/home/2020-annual-meeting-webinar, under the respective Board headers (Supplemental2).

ASMFC 79th Annual Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

October 14, 2020 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 79th Annual Meeting Webinar are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2020-annual-meeting-webinar for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials (with the exception of the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council) have been combined into one PDF –http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/79AnnualMeeting/ASMFC79thAnnualMeetingSupplementalMaterials.pdf.  Below is the list of documents  included in the supplemental materials.

Atlantic Herring Management Board – Letter from Mike Pentony to New England Fishery Management Council

Winter Flounder Management Board – Draft Working Papers of the 2020 Assessment Update Reports for Gulf of Maine and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Winter Flounder Stocks

American Lobster Management Board – Draft Fishery Management Plan Reviews for the 2019 Fishing Year for American Lobster and Jonah Crab

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Advisory Panel Recommendations on 2021-2022 Fishery Specificationsand Public Comment

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Revised Agenda & Meeting Overview; Atlantic Cobia Draft Addendum I Public Hearing and Written Comment Summaries; Draft Fishery Management Plan Reviews for the 2019 Fishing Year for Red Drum, Atlantic Croaker and Atlantic Cobia

Executive Committee – Revised Agenda

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – ARM Subcommittee and Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee Call Summary

Spiny Dogfish Management Board – Revised Meeting Overview; MAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee Report: Revised Risk Policy for 2021

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Public Information Document for Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass

ACCSP Coordinating Council – Draft Agenda; Draft Proceedings from October 2020; FY21 Proposals; Funding Decision Process; Committee & Program Updates

Business Session – Draft 2021 Action Plan

Live-Streaming

Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:45 p.m.) on Thursday, October 22. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. Meeting participants and attendees can register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1878402776294803471 (Webinar ID: 796-314-395).

Each day, the webinar will begin 30 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter.  If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio-related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you can also call in at 562.247.8422 (a pin will be provided to you after joining the webinar); see webinar instructions  for details on how to receive the pin. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, you can do so by dialing 562.247.8422 (access code: 225-820-088).

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar.

The following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action). 

  1. Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of the webinar (September 28) will be included in the briefing materials.
  2. Comments received by 5 PM on the Tuesday, October 13 will be included in the supplemental materials.
  3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, October 16 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

Comments should be submitted via email at comments@asmfc.org. All comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.

Omega Protein opens fundraising for Hurricane Laura-stricken Cameron

September 17, 2020 — Omega Protein is working with the Cameron Lions Club to raise money for Cameron Parish, La., residents, devastated when Hurricane Laura came ashore Aug. 27 with 150 mph winds.

Cameron was for decades a homeport for Omega’s menhaden catcher vessels, and the company on Tuesday set up and will contribute to a GoFundMe campaign to pay for relief and recovery efforts in the community.

Menhaden companies were a big part of the local economy for 65 years, and Omega had a fishing facility there from the mid-1960s until the end of 2013.

“Cameron was a wonderful home for us for nearly half a century,” said Ben Landry, director of public affairs for Omega Protein. “Even though we no longer operate in Cameron, the people there are still our friends and neighbors, and we will not turn our back on them during their time of need.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Omega Protein Spearheads Cameron, Louisiana Relief Efforts After Former Company Home Hit Hard By Hurricane Laura

September 16, 2020 — ABBEVILLE, La. — The following was released by Omega Protein:

Omega Protein is partnering with the Cameron Lions Club to raise money for Cameron Parish, Louisiana, which was devastated by Hurricane Laura at the end of August. Omega Protein has set up and will contribute to a GoFundMe campaign, which will raise funds to be used in relief and recovery efforts for the community.

The Gulf menhaden fishery was a mainstay in the Cameron Parish business community for over 65 years. Omega Protein operated a fishing facility there from the mid-1960s through the end of 2013.

“Cameron was a wonderful home for us for nearly half a century,” said Ben Landry, Director of Public Affairs for Omega Protein. “Even though we no longer operate in Cameron, the people there are still our friends and neighbors, and we will not turn our back on them during their time of need.”

All funds raised from the GoFundMe campaign will go directly to the Cameron Lions Club and their charitable organization, the Cameron Educational and Charitable Endeavors Inc., to help with cleanup and recovery from the hurricane.

Omega Protein is working to share its GoFundMe campaign with employees across the Cooke, Inc. family of companies to help spur awareness of the damage to Cameron Parish, and raise money from across North America for relief efforts.

“Cameron Parish has sustained incredible damage from this storm,” said State Representative Ryan Bourriaque, whose District 47 includes all of Cameron Parish. “But with the help of good neighbors like Omega Protein and the generosity of people everywhere, we’ll rebuild this community and get it back on its feet.”

The Cameron Lions Club was founded in 1944, and has served charitable causes in and around Cameron Parish for over 75 years. Its initiatives include promoting higher education through academic scholarships, the Louisiana Lions Camp for children with special needs, the Keep Louisiana Beautiful campaign, help with community hearing and vision needs, and an annual fishing festival.

On August 27, the Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall on Cameron, Louisiana near peak intensity, with sustained winds of 150 mph. It was the strongest hurricane to strike Louisiana since 1856.

Support Cameron Parish, Louisiana here