December 14, 2012 — Regulators cracked down on the harvest of Atlantic Coast menhaden, a small and oily fish that has a crucial role in the ecosystem.
Meeting in Baltimore on Friday, a multistate fishery board cut the total harvest by 20 percent for at least two years.
"This is a gamble, but it's a good first step," said Will Baker, president of the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
The bay foundation – and other environmental and fishing groups – were hoping to cut the harvest by as much as 25 percent.
But Omega Protein, the only industrial harvester of menhaden, was hoping for a cut of as little as 10 percent. Anything more and jobs would be at risk, the company has said.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission settled on a compromise of 20 percent.
Read the full story at the Capital Gazette