MENHADEN FISHING CONTINUES

Proposed fishery shutdown fails to get support

Virginia House Bill 1383, recently introduced by Del. Tim Anderson, R-Virginia Beach, which would shut down Virginia’s menhaden reduction fishery in all of the state’s territorial ocean waters and inland Bay waters for two years, was unanimously tabled on Jan. 18 by the Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.

“Normally when they vote PBI it means the bill dies forever unless someone brings it back next year,” said Montgomery Deihl, vice president of operations of Omega Protein in Reedville.

The menhaden fishery ran into issues this past summer with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office when there was an Omega Protein purse net tear resulting in thousands of dead, rotting fish washing up on the Bay shoreline. Virginia’s Kiptopeke State Park closed for recreational use during part of July, a peak month for beach tourism.

In response 11,000 sports fishermen, waterfront landowners and representatives of the state’s tourism economy signed a petition to the governor’s office and Virginia Marine Resources Commission to halt menhaden fishing.

Recreational fishermen and environmental opponents argue that there is an enormous ecological value in menhaden that is being compromised by the menhaden reduction fishery…