News

Fisheries Managers to Further Study Depletion of Menhaden in Chesapeake Bay

February 7, 2019

(RICHMOND, VA)—Today the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Menhaden Management Board passed a motion requiring Virginia to maintain its menhaden harvest below the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishery harvest cap.

A Sustainability Sham

December 21, 2018

A student who fails to complete all their assignments doesn't receive a passing grade. But if Omega Protein gets their way, this logic won't hold true in the world of fishery management.

CBF Opposes Menhaden Sustainability Certification

December 4, 2018

(RICHMOND)—Omega Protein's Atlantic menhaden fishery was recommended for a leading seafood sustainability certification by the Marine Stewardship Council in a draft report released today by analyst SAI Global.

CBF Statement on Virginia Menhaden Compliance Decision Delay

August 8, 2018

(RICHMOND, VA)—Yesterday the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Menhaden Management Board postponed a decision on Virginia’s compliance with the latest menhaden harvest cap on the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishery until its February meeting.

CBF Statement on Future of Menhaden Management in Virginia

March 7, 2018

(RICHMOND, VA)–Legislation aiming to protect menhaden and keep Virginia in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) menhaden management plan has failed to advance in Virginia's General Assembly.

CBF Statement on Passage of Menhaden Legislation

February 28, 2018

(RICHMOND, VA)–HB 1610, which would keep Virginia in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) menhaden management plan, passed the House Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee today. Chesapeake Bay Foundation Senior Regional Ecosystem Scientist Chris Moore released the following statement.

This Week in the Watershed: Acting Out

February 23, 2018

To save the Bay, accepting the status quo is often not an option.

Anglers, Charter Boat Captains, and Conservation Groups Highlight Urgency of Menhaden Legislation

February 16, 2018

(RICHMOND, VA)—A coalition of conservation and recreational fishing organizations today urged support for new legislation that would ensure Virginia avoids the consequences of falling out of compliance with the latest menhaden fishery management plan.

Fast and Furious in Harrisburg, Annapolis, and Richmond

February 9, 2018

At the dawn of every new year, shortly after the ball drops and the confetti is swept away, our Bay saving efforts kick into another gear. With the new year comes the start of legislative sessions in Maryland and Virginia, and its continuation in Pennsylvania.

This Week in the Watershed: Keep the Cap!

February 2, 2018

Ospreys soaring through the sky, dolphins jumping through the water, and rockfish on your dinner plate. What do these all have in common?

Atlantic Menhaden Are in Jeopardy Again: What Does It Mean for Stripers?

January 30, 2018

Protecting Atlantic Menhaden is like pushing a rock up a hill, over and over: the threats just keep coming.

This Week in the Watershed: Bunker Battle Continues

November 17, 2017

The message was loud, clear, and nearly unanimous. More than 127,000 individuals submitted comments to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and when they were tallied, a resounding 99.6 percent were in support of an ecosystem-based approach to menhaden management.

CBF Statement on ASMFC Menhaden Actions This Week

November 15, 2017

(LINTHICUM, MD)—The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Menhaden Management Board took the following actions on Monday and Tuesday.

CBF Statement on ASMFC Menhaden Fishery Decision

November 13, 2017

(LINTHICUM, MD)—The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Menhaden Management Board today voted to continue with the status quo for managing the menhaden fishery rather than immediately adopt limits that would take into account menhaden’s role in the food chain.

A Historic Opportunity for Fish and Fishermen

October 19, 2017

At one time, schools of menhaden in Virginia were so vast that fishermen and fishery managers thought the population was virtually inexhaustible.

Menhaden Monikers

October 12, 2017

"Some people call 'em bunkers, some people call 'em pogies, some people menhaden; they're all the same fish."

Restored Reefs Beginning to Make a Difference

September 23, 2017

Menhaden Battle Once Again Pits Virginia Against Northern States

September 23, 2017

Atlantic Menhaden Need More Protection

September 20, 2017

We are all bound together in a mind-bogglingly complex web of life, in which what happens to one species affects multiple others. Yet up to now, we have governed many of our natural resources in a vacuum called single-species management.

This Week in the Watershed: Menhaden’s Moment

September 15, 2017

As we've written before, menhaden might not be a common feature on dinner plates, but there's a reason they’re often called "the most important fish in the sea."