Saving Seafood

LOUISIANA: Anchored in advocacy: Blaine Braddock champions menhaden industry while balancing family, career and community

May 5, 2025 — Blaine Braddock fulfills several roles on a daily basis. The Belle Chase resident and professional financial advisor at Nielsen Investments is also a mother to two young girls and the wife of James Braddock, a captain on one of the dozens of menhaden fishing vessels that work in the Gulf for months at a time each year.

After a decade-long career in Nuclear Medicine, Blaine joined her father at Nielsen Investments in 2022. She focuses her business on faith-based investing and has a reputation as a trusted financial advisor in her community.  Community involvement has always been a priority, which is why you will find her serving on many local boards and panels within Plaquemines Parish.

Inspired by the dedication of her own husband as well as other captains, Braddock is also a vocal advocate for the menhaden industry in Louisiana. She has testified before both the House and Senate Natural Resources Committee on behalf of Westbank Fishing. She has firsthand knowledge of what the menhaden industry means to employees, families and the community at large.

“I feel that advocating for this industry is really important to ensure that we have a seat at the table, especially when any legislative action is being discussed,” Braddock said. “It empowers other community members to take pride in our work and preserve this unique heritage for future generations.”

Read the full story at The Advocate

Louisiana’s Menhaden Industry Celebrates the Beginning of the 2025 Fishing Season with Blessing of the Fleet

April 21, 2025 — As Louisiana’s menhaden fishing industry prepares for the 2025 season, beginning Monday, April 21, fishermen, their families, and local communities are gathering for the annual Blessing of the Fleet. This year’s event, being held on Easter Sunday, blends faith, family, and a deep connection to the sea as generations of fishing families come together to honor their way of life and seek protection for the season ahead.

For decades, the Blessing of the Fleet has been a solemn moment of unity, with industry workers and their families, local leaders and clergy coming together to pray for a safe and successful fishing season. From Plaquemines to Vermilion, menhaden steamers will be adorned with flags and fresh paint, as captains and crews bow their heads in prayer – continuing a tradition that has safeguarded fishermen for over a century.

This gathering is also a time to recognize the dedication and resilience of the industry’s workers. Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Madison Sheahan visited Westbank Fishing last year and described menhaden fishing as “one of our state’s toughest jobs.” The start of the season serves as a reminder of the sacrifices these crews and their families make, as well as the challenges they face working on the open water.

Read the full story at NOLA.com

Gulf Menhaden Population Continues to be Sustainably Harvested, According to Recent Scientific Stock Assessment

November 10, 2021 — The following was released by the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition:

The Gulf menhaden population has once again been confirmed to be sustainably harvested, based on the results of a recently approved stock assessment conducted by NOAA Fisheries biologists and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC). Managers at the GSMFC approved the final assessment at their annual meeting in late October.

The assessment, which is based on data from the Gulf menhaden fishery for 2018-2020, finds that Gulf menhaden are neither overfished, nor are they experiencing overfishing. This confirms the results of the last major Gulf menhaden assessment, released in 2019, which reached the same conclusions about the health of the species.

The assessment document went so far as to state that “In general, there is little risk of overfishing or of being overfished.” This statement truly drives home the point that this is a very healthy stock and responsible fishery.

“This latest assessment continues a long trend of positive information coming out about this fishery, which has long been healthy and sustainable,” said Ben Landry, Director of Public Affairs for Ocean Harvesters, which operates a fleet of menhaden fishing vessels.

“This positive assessment validates that the current Gulf menhaden fishing effort is at a level which is both responsible and sustainable,” said Francois Kuttel of Westbank Fishing.

In addition to its conclusions about the overall state of the Gulf menhaden stock, the assessment also finds several other positive indicators for the species. It found that menhaden abundance was particularly strong in 2018, and that fishing mortality is stable and well below historic highs. These indicators support the overall conclusion that overfishing is not an issue with Gulf menhaden.

Gulf menhaden has been internationally recognized as a sustainable fishery. Since 2019, the fishery has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the most prominent international seafood certification program. Much like this assessment, the MSC certification cited the long-term health of the menhaden population, as well as noting the limited environmental impact of the fishery.

LOUISIANA: A Vaccination Event For Commercial Fishers Offers Lessons On How To Reel In At-Risk Communities

March 24, 2021 — In a large auditorium in rural Plaquemines Parish, La., hundreds of commercial fishers and processing plant workers got their shot in the arm last week. The mass coronavirus vaccination event was a five-minute drive from the docks that house their fishing vessels – right where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico.

National Guard troops administered doses to more than 300 people during the event held specifically for workers at Westbank Fishing and Daybrook Fisheries, a processing plant that turns fish into products like pet food.

“To be honest I didn’t feel nothing, no difference. I still feel the same,” said Angel Arroyo, a welder at Daybrook Fisheries. “I know I won’t infect anybody else or catch the virus.”

Read the full story at WWNO