As the keystone marine forage fish in Virginia, Menhaden need to be managed for maximum abundance, not minimal sustainability.

VMRC needs to take everyone's needs into account as you are mandated, not just those of Omega Protein. The public perception of your commission is that you are subservient exclusively to the needs of a foreign corporation, Cooke Inc.

Move reduction fishing to federal waters, so that we can create a healthy and sustainable bait fishery in the bay and Virginia coastal waters.

I fully support the petition.  The current management of the Atlantic menhaden reduction fishery is in violation of Virginia Code 28.2-203.  Specifically, the Virginia Code requires the Virginia Marine Resources Commision (VMRC) to address the impact of the Atlantic menhaden reduction fishery regulations on commercial fishing for food production, recreational fishing, and the best scientific, economic, biological, and sociological information available.  The VMRC is currently ignoring these code requirements.  This mismanagement has led to an ecological and economic disaster for the Virginia and Maryland recreational fishing industry and to the starvation of osprey in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia waters.  This disaster is fully documented by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sworn testimony before the VMRC, and peer-review publications regarding the status of osprey in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay.

Science has proven time and time again menhaden are substantial. Just another try at taking hard working people out of jobs 

I support a precautionary moratorium in the Bay on the reduction purse seine fishery. Peer reviewed science as published on January 8, 2024 in FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE has documented “A significant relationship between reproductive rate and the menhaden index suggests that osprey population viability requires that the menhaden stock be restored to 1980s level.” Juvenile recruitment of stripped base are in decline. VMRC has ignored Virginia Code 28.2-203 for decades by not applying “Conservation and management measures based on the best scientific, economic, biological and sociological information available.” It’s time to take the politics out of the management of this Virginia resource. 

Omega Protein should not be allowed to take menhaden out of the Chesapeake Bay, period. Why does Virginia allow this reduction fishery when no other state does? How is it acceptable to let one Canadian company jeopardize the health of the bay and the other species that depend on it, and the livelihoods of all the people who depend on a thriving ecosystem? Corporate short-term profit-seeking leads to ecological collapse. Managing the bay as a resource for all requires that Omega do its fishing in federal waters, which may cost the company more but will not put anyone out of work. 

I support the petition.

The state of Virginia is the only state on the Atlantic coast to allow Industrial Reduction Fishing. Osprey reproduction in the lower Chesapeake Bay during the 2023 season was at an all time low. Lower then during the height of DDT. The VMRC is allowing the Canadian-owned industrial reduction fishery in Virginia to use purse seine nets to over-harvest the number 1 keystone species in the Bay, the Atlantic menhaden. Osprey and Striped bass are menhaden-dependent.  In addition the fragile ecosystem of the largest estuary in the country is being destroyed and reduced to fish meal. Cast VOTES-Not NETS!

I support the petition. It is alarming to learn that osprey are starving and striped bass are in serious decline due to menhaden reduction fishing. Research by the Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary found that osprey population viability requires that menhaden stock be restored to 1980's levels. Our Commonwealth is the only state on the Atlantic coast to allow Industrial Reduction Fishing. Virginia resources should be protected. Reduction fishing can be moved to federal waters. 

I support the petition. It is important to control menhaden fishing in order to maintain the population of the fish in the Chesapeake Bay for commercial and environmental reasons. Overfishing, which is occurring now, will not help anyone, including the fishing industry itself. And overfishing is detrimental to the wildlife on the Bay and to the habitat of the Bay so it should be controlled to protect the Bay now and for the future.

I support the petition

I support the petition

I fully support this petition

Osprey in the Chesapeake Bay in the Mobjack Bay region are not reproducing at sustainable rates. The industrial fishing it taking out huge amounts of their food fish, the menhaden. The recreational fishing and bird watching add more jobs and money to the economy than the industrial fishing. The value of real estate is greater near a healthy bay. What it good for birds and people is good for us all. 

Virginia is the only state on the Atlantic coast that allows Industrial Reduction Fishing.

Osprey reproduction in the lower Chesapeake Bay during the 2023 season was at an all time low.

A multi-decade study by the Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary has the data to support the impacts of the over-harvesting of menhaden upon the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay. 

The VMRC is allowing OMEGA a Canadian-owned industrial reduction fishery in Virginia to use purse seine nets to over-harvest the number 1 keystone species in the Bay, the Atlantic Menhaden.

THIS MUST STOP - NOW 

One entity should not gain value from a shared resource. We all benefit when the menhaden support an entire ecosystem when left alone!

I support this petition

I support this petition

I'm all for it!

Recent research shows that many keystone members of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, including osprey, rely on menhaden as a critical food source. It is essential to protect menhaden to support a healthy Bay

Menhaden are a keystone specie in the Chesapeake Bay. Both fish and birds rely on them to sustain life. The Bay's saltwater anglers, charter captains, bird watchers and numerous businesses continue their sharp decline as the breaking of the Bay's food web continues with industrial menhaden fishing.

The Chesapeake Bay WAS the greatest breeding ground in the world for osprey, and 2023's breeding season was scientifically documented as unsustainable for osprey. The breeding numbers were far below carrying capacity, and was worse than the height of DDT. Can you imagine actually saying we are now witnessing a DDT like breeding problem? Osprey chicks are starving, and the adults cannot sustain themselves due to a direct link to the lack of menhaden. 

In 2024, protection of menhaden in essential to reestablishing the Chesapeake Bay as a world class fishery and breeding ground for the iconic osprey. 

I support this petition.

I support this petition

I support this petition

Please seriously consider this petition and move towards having this type of bmcommercial fishing outside the Chesapeake Bay as all other states have done.

I strongly support this petition.

The lower bay fishery has been destroyed by the taking of our baitfish by Omega. Not only does Omega take our baitfish but sends them back to Canada to use for their benefit.

Wake up political and state representatives who by the way are getting money and goods from Omega. To our law makers shut the hell up about all these negotiations and shut down Omega.

I am in full support of getting Omega Protein out of OUR BAY. They can relocate and catch menhaden in the Atlantic

I highly support this petition.  Overfishing of Menhaden in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay has been going on for far too long and something needs to be done before the effects are irreversible.  

Absolutely crazy that the menhaden are still being harvested this way.

Aggree with petition.

The Bay's average depth is only about 30+ feet so menhaden purse seines take much more fish than just menhaden. Menhaden fisheries need to be banned from the Chesapeake bay all together.

I strongly support this Petition.  Something has to be done to save the bay/fishery for future generation.

I am not a scientist. I am a recreational fisherman that has observed the Bay’s condition for over sixty years. The problems in the Bay are many and their remedies are largely costly, painful and complicated. Menhaden are the Bay’s primary food source and for too long we have watched their slow demise. It is time to begin to restore the Menhaden because the Bay is sick and tough decisions need to be made.

Non Selective fish kills are destroying the Chesapeake Bay for tourism and rec. fishing

I support this very important petition

I highly support this petition.  Overfishing of Menhaden in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay has been going on for far too long and something needs to be done before the effects are irreversible.  This needs to happen before the species is gone altogether.  We are slowly killing every species on the planet.  

I Support this petition.

I support this study 100%. The lack of Menhaden is destroying stripers and osprey in the Chesapeake Bay!

I support the elimination of the reduction fishery within the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The menhaden reduction fishery is abusive to the natural resources that menhaden help to sustain. History has shown that Omega is a habitual offender of any regulation / quota, best practice. For the bay to recover, an end to the reduction fishery in the bay must occur. The benefits of this elimination will allow other species to rebound and flourish allowing the watermen to refocus to those species that traditionally help to sustained them.

Omega needs to stay out of the bay. They have proven they can’t follow the rules and the thousands upon thousands of dead fish speak for them selves. 

Please consider this petition and DO NOT allow men Haden fishing. Let's keep them out of the bay!

I support keeping Manhaden fishing out of the bay

I support the Petition. 

I support this bill to study the Atlantic Menhaden. The Chesapeake Bay would be so much healthier if we could get the Manhaden ships out of the bay. This study should show this!

I support this bill to study the Atlantic Menhaden. The Chesapeake Bay would be so much healthier if we could get the Menhaden ships out of the bay. This study should show this!

Please outlaw reduction fishing like it has been done in many other states. 

Stop taking menhaden in the Chesapeake bay!

This petition is a start to comprehensive reform of the Atlantic Menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay. More should be done to limit the commercial catch of our menhaden resources but this is a start on better resource management.

I fully support this petition 

Allowing so much of the Atlantic Menhaden quota to be pulled out of the Chesapeake Bay needs to stop.  Omega has time and time again fished with gear that has led to large fish kills up and down the Eastern Shore.  It's time for better enforcement and a long term plan for this fishery.

I support this petition.

Agree.