Saving Seafood

VIRGINIA: Virginia Beach renews offshore wind land option with Dominion

June 26, 2026 — As Dominion Energy’s massive Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off Virginia Beach nears completion, the utility is already laying the groundwork for another offshore venture — a proposed North Carolina wind farm that would rely on 32 acres of Virginia Beach land.

On June 9, the Virginia Beach Development Authority approved a five-year option agreement that would allow Dominion to purchase 32 acres of land the authority owns at Corporate Landing Business Park. The site is critical to the development of CVOW South, Dominion’s proposed offshore wind project in North Carolina, as it would enable a grid interconnection facility and an onshore substation.

The exact purchase price for the land at Corporate Landing hinges on a future appraisal. However, the agreement states that Dominion will pay Virginia Beach at least $200,000 per acre, about $6.4 million. This price is in addition to the $120,000 annual fee Dominion pays for each year of the option.

Read the full article at Virginia Business 

VIRGINIA: Menhaden firms deny pressuring Virginia legislators

June 24, 2026 — Virginia House and Senate lawmakers finalized the state’s $205 billion 2026-28 biennial budget in June without approving funds for research of the state’s Chesapeake Bay menhaden population.

Omega Protein and its fishing partner Ocean Harvesters of Reedville, Va., have been accused by Chesapeake Bay Foundation officials of “continued political pressure” on legislators, resulting in denial of the funding.

There were three bills introduced in the 2026 Virginia legislative session associated with the funding and encouraging more overall menhaden research and oversight of the fish and industry. All three bills were killed in committee.

A bill (SB)-474 was introduced by state Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, which would have established the Atlantic Menhaden Research Fund to direct the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to conduct dedicated population studies of the fish to establish ecologically meaningful harvest limits.

Another bill (HB)-1048 was introduced by Del. Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, who sought to halt industrial menhaden purse-seine fishing in the Chesapeake Bay until “research” could certify that the fishery does not negatively impact other species. The bill stated “determination that the fishery does not create a negative impact shall be made by the state Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and certified in writing by the Virginia Code Commission”

In addition, (HB)-1049 was also introduced by Delegate Carr that encouraged Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to develop and maintain a quota management system for bay caps on seasonal quota periods. The bill also called for VMRC to mandate and fund independent observers on 10 percent of Ocean Harvesters’ fishing trips.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

VIRGINIA: Dominion Energy renews deal with Virginia Beach to buy land for more offshore wind

June 17, 2026 — The utility would use onshore infrastructure at the site for a wind farm off the Outer Banks.

The Virginia Beach Development Authority last week approved an option agreement with Dominion Energy for land that could support a future offshore wind project.

The deal allows the utility to buy about 30 acres at Corporate Landing Business Park within the next five years, which it could use for an onshore substation and grid interconnection point.

It is not related to the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, or CVOW, currently under construction about 27 miles east of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

Dominion’s eyeing the land for another possible project about 25 miles south, in North Carolina. The lease area, which the utility calls CVOW South, is located off the Outer Banks coast.

Read the full article the WHRO

Virginia’s fishing industry has the blue catfish blues

June 15, 2026 — Over the last decade, invasive blue catfish have outcompeted nearly every native fish and shellfish in the Chesapeake Bay, putting generational watermen and fishmongers out of business. But if managed correctly, researchers from Virginia Tech’s Seafood and Agricultural Research & Extension Center in Hampton believe this invasive fish could spur a lucrative new commercial fishery with an annual economic impact of over $1 billion.

Native to the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio river basins, blue catfish were introduced to Virginia’s rivers in the 1970s as a new trophy fishery for recreational anglers.

As blue catfish populations grew and food supplies ran short in the James, Rappahannock and York rivers, blue catfish began venturing beyond their freshwater habitats into the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

Michael Schwarz, associate director of the Virginia Tech center, estimated that between 750 million and 1 billion pounds of blue catfish now swim in the Chesapeake Bay. Their collective biomass is greater than every other Chesapeake Bay species combined. And their habitat is still expanding — blue catfish have made their way into North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

“It’s an uncontrolled invasive species that is eating all of our traditional species that our seafood industries rely on,” Schwarz said.

Surging catfish populations and diminished native fisheries are causing a state of emergency across the industry, said Shelby White, a researcher at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester.

Read the full article at VPM

NORTH CAROLINA: Dominion to buy land for North Carolina offshore wind project

June 12, 2026 — Dominion Energy will purchase 32 acres in a Virginia Beach business park for an onshore substation and grid connection point to serve a wind farm project planned off the coast of North Carolina.

The land sale in Corporate Landing Business Park was approved at a Development Authority meeting on Tuesday. The authority owns the property and had originally approved Dominion’s purchase option in 2019, but the agreement expired last year. The purchase price will be based on a forthcoming appraisal, but the agreement guarantees it will exceed $6 million, or at least $200,000 per acre.

Read the full article at Yahoo! News

VIRGINIA: Virginia offshore wind panel discusses Dominion, potential for future projects

June 8, 2026 — No Dominion Energy representative was in attendance at the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority meeting earlier this week – even as the utility hopes state regulators sign off on a massive merger.

The panel, which was established in 2010, works to foster development of the industry through research and makes recommendations to help projects reach fruition.

Dominion and NextEra Energy announced a merger in May, which will be subject to “detailed scrutiny” from state regulators in Virginia and North Carolina before being finalized.

Read the full article at WHRO

Invasive blue catfish turn problem into fishery

June 2, 2026 — Fishermen and chefs hope to feed people and eradicate invasive blue catfish at the same time.

Blue catfish have become a manmade disaster in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. They’re an invasive species spreading throughout the region and eating whatever they can find. On the upside, they’re good eating, and some commercial fishermen and anglers are doing well catching them.

The problem began, as many do, with good intentions. In 1974, striped bass stocks were declining, and the state sought to provide a new species for anglers to catch. Chester F. Phelps, then executive director of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, oversaw the introduction of 300,000 blue catfish into the James River. More stocking followed, and in 1985, Virginia stocked blue catfish in the York River. Blue catfish, native to the Mississippi River watershed, seemed like a good fit for Virginia rivers.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Meet June 16-18, 2026, in Alexandria, VA

May 28, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, June 16 – Thursday, June 18, 2026 at the Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria (801 North Saint Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-836-4700) with a webinar option for those who choose to participate virtually.

Meeting Materials: Briefing materials and presentations will be posted on the June 2026 Council Meeting Page as they become available.

Public Comment: The Council welcomes public comment from in-person and remote participants. Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are available on the meeting page.

Webinar and Live Stream: The webinar will be hosted via Webex. No pre-registration is required. Connection details are available on the meeting page. The meeting will also be live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel.

Agenda Highlights: A detailed agenda is available here. Key topics and actions for consideration include:

  • 2026 Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem Report – Review and provide feedback
  • Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Risk Assessment Report – Review and provide feedback
  • Vessel Baseline Evaluation – Receive update and discuss next steps
  • Unmanaged Commercial Landings Report – Review and provide feedback
  • Golden Tilefish – Review previously adopted specifications for 2027 and recommend changes if necessary
  • Blueline Tilefish – Adopt 2027-2029 specifications; review and revise commercial and/or recreational measures if needed
  • NEFSC Atlantic Mackerel Cooperative Research Initiative (“MackPack”) – Review and provide feedback
  • Fisheries Monitoring and Research Division (FMRD) Programs – Review and provide feedback
  • Scup Winter I Framework – Review preliminary analysis and adopt draft range of alternatives for further development
  • NEFSC Surveys Update – Receive update on the 2025 and 2026 fishery-independent survey seasons, Regional Industry Trawl Survey (RIBTS), and other survey related topics

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5261.

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab numbers rebound overall, but female population continues decline

May 26, 2026 — The latest Chesapeake Bay blue crab survey is offering a mix of encouraging signs and ongoing concerns for watermen and seafood industries on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where the blue crab remains one of the region’s most economically and culturally important fisheries.

According to results released from the annual Chesapeake Bay Winter Dredge Survey, conducted jointly by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Bay’s total blue crab population is estimated at 349 million crabs in 2026. That marks a 46 percent increase from last year’s estimate of 238 million crabs, which had been the second-lowest total recorded since the survey began in 1990.

The survey found strong gains among juvenile crabs and adult male crabs, raising hopes for a more productive crabbing season this summer for many Virginia watermen, including those working along the Eastern Shore.

However, scientists and fisheries managers continue to express concern about the Bay’s spawning-age female crabs, whose numbers declined again this year and remain well below long-term averages.

Read the full article at Shore Daily News

VIRGINIA: 54th Annual Blessing of the Fleet held in Reedville

May 26, 2026 — On Sunday, members of the community, seafood industry, and organizations, such as Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Smith Point Sea Rescue gathered in Reedville alongside Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein for the 54th Annual Blessing of the Fleet, a long standing tradition honoring the men and women who work on the water.

Reverend William Stafford Whittaker opened the ceremony with a Call to Worship, reminding attendees that fishing remains “both a dangerous and a very important occupation.” He noted that many in the Northern Neck dedicate their lives to this work, providing “food, medicine, and other resources for the good of the wider world.”

Read the full article at News On The Neck