Menhaden are a natural resource for all Virginians and users of the Chesapeake Bay. They are the primary keystone species that feeds almost all the other animals in the ecosystem. Their primary function should not be as an industrialized food pellet for Canadian fish farming. Canadian owned Omega Protein takes our resource at pennies on the dollar, lining their pockets at the expense of tens of thousands (not just a couple hundred) of Virginians who require a healthy abundant Chesapeake Bay to make a living.

Your mandate is to manage this resource for everyone. We ask that you manage it for abundance.

It is time to make sure that bay specific science tells us what is sustainable and what is not, before it is too late. www.saveourmenhaden.org 

There are multiple signs that menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay are in big trouble. They are the base of the food chain and osprey chicks are dying from starvation, our striped bass Which rely on menhaden have been in steep decline, The industry is having trouble meeting their quotas, and scientists have now acknowledged that the menhaden stock has been badly overstated. All of this calls for precautionary management to protect the vital ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay. Sadly, the industry continues to lobby against a menhaden study which makes me wonder, what are they afraid of? Will the VMRC board, which is dominated by commercial interest, do the right thing to protect the most important estuary in this country? 

Please, please, please save the bay

the bay is dependent upon Menhaden, we know this is an absolute.

we need to step up and not be bought off by the reduction industry.

Most problems with the bay can be traced to over harvesting of menhaden. From crashes in the crab and stripped bass populations to even the water quality itself- they are filter feeders just like oysters. To allow harvesting at these levels is insane. Give the bay a chance to heal itself. Please ban all harvesting in the bay and for three miles offshore. 

I agree.

Support the menhanden popluation in the Bay.   

I support this petition

Enough is enough.
Year after year of BS and zero accountability. An industry that caters to traitors CANADA. Stealing all Virginias bunker with ZERO oversight. Fake trips up north coming back empty, faking catch #s. A bi-catch clean up SHIP was built to cover their tracks of destruction. Stinky beaches from spills and overloaded ships.

Juvenile bunker is all that's left to rape.. no problem. Greediest set of lobbyists, and captains with a massive percentage of workers not from the United States of America.

Imagine making up your own seasons, locations and amount you can catch that is based on how well you PILLAGED the best years before with the maximum amount of ships and planes they can afford.

they need cameras on the Ships to witness all the bicatch of large predators including, striped bass, Cobia, drum and turtles. 

Crooks need a real wake up call. 

For years many warned them we were witnessing whole fisheries disappearing!   Like croakers??? Gone ,  spots ….. gone… grey trout in the bay? History.    We warned them they were starting to wipe out the Virginia bio mass which is the spawning grounds for them, and eventually work themselves out of a job.

They built more ships. Paid off more politicians, and made a joke out of the VMRC, with back door agreements (MOU’s).   They would not let the public speak as omega bussed in families to take every seat up.  Hundreds of folks left early with no chance to speak. Filibusted by omegas goons. 

This is a public resource not a private one.  The public deserves a say not just the ones making $$ of it. Get ready to be doged, it’s coming. 

Here we are.

Menhaden are in trouble and harvesting should be put on pause at the moment. These fish are crucial to all east coast species that depend on them. 

The rape of the Chesapeake by Omega Protein must end. Protect our fisheries and watermen. 

There is absolutely zero reason for these vessels to be in the Chesapeake bay. The Bay acts as of sanctuary for breeding of at risk species also a food source to birds of prey. I live on the bay where Osprey use to roost on a yearly basis these birds are dying and or leaving for lack of food sources the nests have disappeared. Constantly seeing dead oversized fish that would illegal for a recreational fisherman to keep whenever these boats come through the bay due to bycatch. These boats need tk stay in the ocean Maryland and other states that have bays already refuse them let virginia as well.

Menhaden are the "most important fish in the sea" as they serve as a food source for many other species of fish and birds throughout the Atlantic coastal region. In recent years we've seen an increase in bald eagles, osprey, blue heron and brown pelicans in the Chesapeake Bay especially as people move away from islands in the Chesapeake due to erosion and economic factors. While this is sad for the people who once called these islands home, it is great news for these species many of which were once in danger of extinction. All of these species depend on the menhaden as a critical food source. Please protect this keystone species for overfishing and save the bay. 

Please do everything possible to block the purse seine netting of thousands of tons every from Virginia’s territorial waters. Complete ban with hopes they there is still time to recover .

Agree with this petition. It hurts nothing to put things on pause and devote adequate, quality time to gather facts and address the issue. 

It is time for VMRC to do their job. Since a bill was passed four years ago to have VIMS conduct a study on the impact of industrial purse seine fishing in the Bay, Omega and their lobbyists lobbied against funding this legislation and the Youngkin administration and the General Assembly refused to direct any resources to this effort. In the meantime osprey populations have plummeted and rockfish season hardly exist. Put in place a moratorium on industrial purse seine fishing in the Bay and let science dictate the outcome NOT POLITICS.

This should not be a political issue, determined by Donations made by Omega protein to Va. politicians!  There have already been at least 1500 jobs affected in the commercial and Charter fishery in the bay Due to overfishing. That is way more than the 3 to 400 jobs that might be affected in Reedville.  The omega business can operate just fine in the ocean while a study is completed.  We should also be very concerned about not only fish species that feed on Menhaden but also Marine Mammals and (birds), especially our iconic osprey.   

I Agree

Omega Protein's depletion of the Bay's menhaden is utterly destroying the Bay's life balance. They must stop.

As along time member of the Hampton Yacht Club, I used to enjoy the striper tournament we had each fall. After the winner was determined, the fish were cleaned on the dock and cooked for all to enjoy. The past three or four seasons, the fishermen all came back empty handed. No stripers. My personal largest striper was a 38 inch fish that weighed around 25 pounds. Now there is no need to even go our looking for them.  It is a real shame that our state even allows this fishery to keep doing this. Even worse that that is the fact that their product is sold to Canada.

As a long time member of the Hampton Yacht Club, I used to enjoy the striper tournament we had each fall. After the winner was determined, the fish were cleaned on the dock and cooked for all to enjoy. The past three or four seasons, the fishermen all came back empty handed. No stripers. My personal largest striper was a 38 inch fish that weighed around 25 pounds. Now there is no need to even go our looking for them.  It is a real shame that our state even allows this fishery to keep doing this. Even worse that that is the fact that their product is sold to Canada.

Please Pause Menhaden Fishing in the Chesapeake Bay in order to more fully study the menhaden population and ascertain the true importance

of this fish to our local environment. We deserve at least this. Would like to see it stop completely/ but want it studied more

in depth, at the very least…

Stop Menhaden Fishing please

There is NO reason on earth that those big fish factories should be in the bay.  Get rid of them!

Please place a moratorium on menhaden fishing until the population can rebound to significant numbers

In my lifetime I have seen  the decline of many species of game fish that I believe is directly related to purse seine netting. 

I have been fishing the Chesapeake Bay since 1986.  The last 15 years a charter captain and commercial hook and line fisherman.  I’m on the water 5-6 days a week from May-September and 2-3 days a week the rest of the time.  I also serve on several boards, one of which is the MMAC and I’m chair of the ASMFC multi species AP.

Over the past 12 years the fishing in the Chesapeake Bay has declined significantly.  Doesn’t matter the species, the fishing is dismal.  From spot and croaker to flounder and cobia every category is way down.  All one has to do is look at the VMRC citation data over the last 15 years and one can see the decline of a once great fishery. 

Why look at citation data?  It is an indicator of a fish population in trouble. When the larger fish start declining the population is declining.  All the species are in decline.  And one of the major factors is lack of menhaden(bait).   

The menhaden that were in the bay this summer were some of the poorest in history.  There was a the Bunker Fleet out of Deltaville didn’t fish in the bay but a select number of days this past summer, and that’s because the numbers and size of Menhaden were not what they wanted.

It is time for a moratorium, purse seine ban, or quota ban on menhaden in state waters.  A moratorium would be ideal, but if not a moratorium, then ban the use of purse seines in Va waters.  If that is not doable then make a quota decision.  Something like if you have over 10tons of menhaden quota you cannot fish in VA state waters.

Any of those options would be sufficient to allow the overfished menhaden population to increase.  With an increase in the menhaden population all fish species and some bird species will flourish once again.  

Please don’t sit back and do nothing. Pick one the options mentioned above or do something else, but please do something about our diminished fishing conditions.

Sincerely,

Capt. Craig Freeman

Ban commercial fisherman... the depletion of menhaden has the ecosystem screwed up.

It is beyond stupidto let Omega Protein strip a resource that belongs to everyone just because they can. The menhaden are the crucial link in the food chain for so many of the Bay's wildlife and we let a greedy Canadian company ruin the Bay's balance for profit??? Throw out every single sleazy politician who supports Omega over our precious and fragile Bay!!!!!

Please pause Menhaden purse-seine fishing in the Chesapeake. It's important to protect the ecology of our state. - A 32 year resident of Virginia. 

The VMRC  should pause the menhaden industry inside the Chesapeake Bay. Waters east of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel and offshore should be regulated on menhaden fishing. The waters of the Chesapeake Bay west/ north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnels should have a no fishing ban for menhaden for the foreseeable future! 

Please be proactive in saving and supporting our natural resources for future generations and stop the over fishing in our waterways , which is destroying populations of Osprey and other wildlife that depends on this resource. NOW is the time before it is to late!

I have seen a drastic decrease in the number of schoolie rock in bayside creeks on the ESVA.  I have also seen several large fish kills wash into Craddock Creek in the last 5 years.  Pretending that the Menhaden population is a never ending resource is not responsible management of our fragile ecosystem.

The VMRC has a duty to protect Virginia's largest resource, the Chesapeake Bay, and has repeatedly failed to do so when there was an opportunity to determine the extent of the destruction caused by reduction-fishing of menhaden within the Bay.  We need scientific baselines for menhaden populations in the Bay, and what seems obvious to watermen throughout the region needs to be studied.  Until the agency responsible for the safekeeping of the Bay and its fish has any scientific data on populations and impacts, we demand a stop to reduction fishing until clear evidence of its sustainability has been provided.  

Stop overfishing menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay

fish in li sound no bunker at all for 3 years keep up the bad work

Eliminate menhaden factory ships in the bay! Not sustainable 

The quotas are

Please stop them fishing menhaden in the bay and anywhere near the entrance to the bay. This is an important resource that belongs to all of us, not to Omega. If there is insufficient information to make sensible decisions, we should stop the netting until we do have information about how this fishery affects the Bay ecosystem. 

Save the Bay

A Legacy for Future Generations

Here’s what our grandchildren will be telling their children:

“There was a time when you could catch your dinner from the waters of the bay. I can remember when the Osprey would make nests and raise their young, American Bald Eagles would soar high in the clear blue sky, and I would always see Loggerhead Turtles bobbing their heads above the water. Blue crab was so abundant we could have a crab feast each weekend with our family.”

I’m not sure how this all happened, but I remember how productive the bay was. Everything is now gone. Where did they all go? Why did they leave the bay? How can we bring back the menhaden, croaker, spot, sea trout, striped bass, redfish, blue crab—all the wildlife? Will this be written in our history books like the carrier pigeon and American bison and so many others?

Why has this happened?

The answer, Ecosystem, the consequences became increasingly apparent. The decline in menhaden populations disrupted the delicate balance of marine life, impacting not only commercial fisheries but also on the health of the entire bay. It is clear now that sustainable management practices are essential to restore and preserve this vital resource for future generations.

But hope is not lost. By recognizing the mistakes of the past, we can work together to restore the bay. Protecting wetlands, reducing pollution, and supporting sustainable fishing can help bring back the creatures that once thrived here. With effort and care, your generation and those to come can once again witness the beauty and abundance of the bay—ensuring that these stories are not just memories, but a promise for the future.

There is hope.

The reduction fishery is destroying menhaden stocks in the Chesapeake Bay. Please stop this practice, menhaden are a primary link in the food chain for many fish and birds. I agree with this petition, science should be applied and harvest controlled to the benefit of all of Virginia's citizens, not just a wealthy few.

stop menhaden purse seine fishing in Virginia waters

It’s wrong!!!

I agree with this petition. The menhaden fishery is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of the Chesapeake Bay and the surrounding citizens.  All reasonable steps should be employed, using objective, scientifically based decisions for the good of all affected.  

Please stop the netting of fish in the Chesapeake Bay.

I have been fishing in the Bay for over 50 years. As a kid, the schools of menhaden on my little creek covered the entire creek in the summer. Now I see one or no schools of menhaden most of the summer. We must completely stop commercial fishing for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. 

I have been fishing in the bay for 12 years now. The last two years there have been very Difficult for recreational fisherman. I have never seen so few recreational boats on the water as this year. Very few days of catching.

rockfish have been entering the Bay later and later And in smaller numbers.

there are notably, fewer birds on the water.

I don’t think it takes an environmental scientist to link causation to lack of bait.

I believe the Chesapeake Bay is the only estuary in the country that allows harvesting of Menhaden?

I support omega’s right to fish the ocean. NOT the bay.

let’s use some common sense here.

I’ve been fishing the Chesapeake bay for over 30 years and feel the menhaden fish need to be protected from overfishing. Every other state bans netting Menhaden in their bays, why not Virginia?

I understand it would cost more for the fish oil companies to harvest menhaden in the open ocean but that cost should be passed on to the fish oil users, not on our Chesapeake bay fishery.

Its time for Virginia to step up and protect our natural resources.

I agree. 

Save the Bay- stop menhaden fishing until the science research is done then let the facts dictate catch limits.

Commercial overfishing has been killing our fishery for decades! Tune to take a stand.