November 27, 2013 — The opinion piece by Dick Russell (Conservation is Essential to Save the Striper, Vineyard Gazette Oct. 31) misinforms readers concerning the actions of Omega Protein. His anecdotes and claims regarding the menhaden fishery were clearly not fact-checked, resulting in an error-laden piece on an otherwise important issue — sustainable fisheries management.
Mr. Russell inexplicably reorders past events to suggest that Omega Protein increased its fishing efforts in response to menhaden harvest reductions first mandated in 2012. The new vessels he references were purchased in August of 2011, well before the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) took any actions to decrease commercial menhaden quotas.
Read the full letter to the editor here