Menhaden - The Biggest Little Fish . . .

It is definitely getting more media exposures, but it is far from over. To many that have been fighting for this, it is only the second 1/2 beginning of an ultra marathon race.

The legal action you mentioned was not against Omega Protein directly, but VMRC, the VA agency appointed to make fishery decisions, away from the VA state congress council ( due to the complaints made years for Omega Protein's political lobbying). However, it turned out even that agency would be under the control of company's lobbying, as it increased the menhaden quota last year inside Chesapeake bay, triggering a small group of anglers from MD (not VA) to sue the agency. The story of how Omega Protein lobbied and suit was filed are explained in the following article:


Omega Protein repeatedly pointed that there was no scientific data that the menhaden population declined, because NOAA's survey (wondering how correct that would be) didn't show it. The environmental/fishermen allegiance argued the survey was for the coastal ocean only and asked for the comprehensive scientific survey inside the Bay (costs $3 million). But the VA council disapproved the funding it this year. It didn't even promise it would be funded next year, just not discussed until next year. The company's lobbying was assumed in the behind and this would be a delay tactic. The following article showed the story:


There was an essay; The Wonder of Fish Called Menhaden by Kenneth Lawson, a military Chaplain, more than a decade ago. Aside from its theological points of view (largely the reason it was disregarded by many but...), it really was spots on the subject, that I would like to introduce the link here:

Why should we care about what is happening in the Chesapeake Bay?

It is because the Chesapeake Bay is the biggest (by far) estuary system among Eastern estuaries that feeds into Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to 150 rivers and streams from 6 states (VA, MD, DE, WV, PA & NY) and DC. Its health is vital for many birds and marine species, especially for Atlantic striped Bass population.

There are 4 main spawning feeders (areas) for eastern striped bass; Chesapeake Bay, Delaware River/Bay, Hudson River and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River. The Chesapeake Bay counts much more than 1/2 of spawning for the entire striped bass stock. Its struggle to spawn stripers is the reason why there is the emergency catch restriction of striped bass on the entire coast since last year. Many experts strongly believe the depleted menhaden population inside the Bay (by Omega Protein) is the cause for the struggle.

Menhaden is the most important food sources not only for stripers but other fish and birds. It is as simple as, less acorns less squirrels. Also there is a very important function that menhadens do along with oysters on the bottom. They filter and purify the water, K. Lawson explained this well in the essay more than a decade ago:

As they filter phytoplankton, they allow sunlight to reach depths where aquatic plants can prosper, which increases oxygen levels, allowing other fish and shellfish to survive. If these phytoplankton algae are not filtered away, the algae choke other life and create massive aquatic dead zones smothered in festering and toxic waters depleted of oxygen.

Now these dead zones are actually happening in many of the estuary rivers of the Bay every year, especially in the summer, that kill recently hatched striper fingerlings. One of the main reasons why spawning is so poor in the Bay. Therefore, it is simply too much price to pay not only for the taxpayers of VA and MD, but entire eastern states for the miniscule gain of 200 jobs and politicians in VA and one Canadian Company. We all should speak up to stop this.