VMRC considering limiting menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay

Seeking to limit the number of fish spills,  the Virginia Marine Resources Commission is considering a proposal to limit purse seine fishing within one mile of state shorelines. Also the Commission is considering banning Omega from fishing during Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends and the first week of July.   

Anglers and property owners on the Eastern Shore are angry after two fish spills soiled beaches at Silver Beach  during the Fourth of July weekend and the Kiptopeake State Park  three weeks later this summer. The proposal hopes to address an issue between anglers and Omega Protein, a company headquartered in Reedville, VA.  Anglers are lobbying the VMRC to eliminate menhaden fishing entirely in the bay.  Virginia is the only state on the east coast that allows inshore fishing for menhaden.

According to Omega Protein, they purposely do not fish during weekends  during the summer because of the increased boat traffic on the bay.

Representatives of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation contend that moving fishing into deeper waters would reduce the frequency of net spills.

However local anglers plan a bus trip to Richmond on December 6 to lobby to totally eliminate menhaden fishing in the Bay.

Although tension between local anglers and Omega Protein is not a new issue,  the spills in July fueled the controversy.

After the spills, the menhaden advisory committee tried unsuccessfully to limit harvesting in the shallower waters of the bay.  Omega representatives on the committee contended that spills are not frequent enough to close off fishing areas.

The latest ASMFC stock assessment of menhaden concluded the menhaden stock is not being overfished.