Significant restrictions to the menhaden fishery in Virginia waters are long overdue. While commercial/industrial menhaden fishing has occurred in Virginia for more than a century, the techniques and technology have changed, and number of vessels fishing for menhaden has increased over the years. These factors have made industrial menhaden fishing far more productive and efficient. So, to compare menhaden fishing in the 1970s/80s to the fishing processes of the 2000s is comparing apples to oranges.

In addition, the recent purchase of Omega Protein by a Canadian company has made oversight of this fishery extremely difficult, as these now foreign owned vessels have immunity from boarding. This factor alone is reason to remove industrial menhaden fishing from Virginia waters. While this petition does not call for complete removal from Virginia waters, unless some increased oversight mechanism is put in place, that should be the ultimate goal. Virginia is the only state that currently allows industrial menhaden fishing in its waters, something that I believe troubles many of us.

Finally, recent purse seine net failures in the Chesapeake Bay have not only created an environmental issue, they have illustrated what many have believed to be true for years. There is significant unreported by-catch of species such as red drum, Cobia, and Spanish Mackerel that embed themselves in schools of menhaden while feeding. To claim their is no (or minimal) by-catch resulting from industrial menhaden fishing defies logic, and, now, observation.

While the ultimate goal should be the elimination of industrial menhaden fishing in Virginia waters (or at least the Chesapeake Bay), the proposal in this petition is an excellent and much needed first step in that direction. Therefore, I fully support this petition.