Reedville Virginia's Omega Protein may be in the sites of federal bureaucrats, sports fishermen and ecologists again, but at least it's not alone this time.
In a March Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting of fisheries managers, officials decided that more of the Atlantic menhaden's spawning-aged fish should be protected. Under current regulations, 9 percent of spawners must be spared. Under the new proposal, that level would be increased to 15 percent.
Raising the limit would require a 10 percent reduction in the harvest, according to Jack Travelstead of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and a Virginia member of the ASMFC. The reduction in harvest would not be limited to Omega and other purse seine operations but would apply to all menhaden fishing operations on the entire Atlantic coast. Even so, Ben Landry, a spokesman for Omega, said reductions would impact Omega's operations.
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