December 12, 2012 — The following is an excerpt from the article "Outdoors: Save the crabs and menhaden" by Jim Brewer, published online in the Charlottesville Daily Progress:
Since 1984, the number of menhaden – referred to as the most important fish in the sea – has fallen by 88 percent. The current population is at an all time low. How has that come to pass? The answer is simple. The menhaden is the only species of fish or animal to be managed exclusively by the General Assembly. All other species are managed by qualified biologists. When you put people in charge who know nothing about what they are doing, bad things usually happen.
Menhaden are so threatened that last fall, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission set a goal to maintain a minimum of 15 percent of an unfished level (the natural level assuming no fishing) with a target of 30 percent. The current level is at 8 percent of that level. Why set minimum levels? Why not maximum levels?
It all boils down to Omega Protein and its commercial menhaden fleet based in Reedville that supports 300 jobs.
Read the full story in the Daily Progress
Read a letter to the editor in response to this article here