February 6, 2012 — A state Senate committee has approved a bill that would withdraw Virginia from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission because of new regulations on menhaden.
Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Stafford, filed the bill. He is also one of three Virginians on the commission, which has 15 member states ranging from Maine to Florida.
Menhaden are mostly used for bait and to make fish oil or other products. They are fished not only by commercial fishermen but by Omega Protein. Omega produces fish oil, fish meal and other fish products, and its plant in Reedville, in the Northern Neck, is one of Northumberland County's major employers.
Menhaden fishing has long been a contentious issue in Richmond. Stuart said he and other Virginia members were willing to accept "a reasonable reduction in catch" for menhaden–about 20 percent–after a stock assessment showed over-fishing was a problem in certain spots but not overall.
Stuart said he wanted the commission to evaluate the menhaden stock in conjunction with the stock levels of certain other fish that eat menhaden–a "multi-species approach," he said.
But he says the commission adopted rules that require a much larger reduction in catch for menhaden, nearly 40 percent, which Stuart thinks is unnecessary and "very likely could cause the loss of our reduction industry in Virginia."
Stuart told the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committee this week that he feels the commission didn't base its recommendation on science.
Read the full article at Fredericksburg.com