ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — The debate over whether to fund a study on the status of Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay will be taken up again in the Virginia General Assembly. Measures to study the forage species vital to nearly every fish on the Atlantic Coast have been derailed in past sessions, the most recent was last year when a study proposal was tabled.
Two proposals have been introduced by Del. Paul Milde (R-Stafford) in this session. Virginia House Bill 2713 (HB2713) would require the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to conduct a three-year study of menhaden numbers in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the impact of various fisheries on menhaden populations. Milde has also introduced a budget amendment to fund the study.
“There are no modern-day studies of menhaden populations in the bay,” said Del. Milde. “It makes sense that we need to find out where we really are with the menhaden, and if there are any connections between rockfish populations, osprey populations, and the menhaden catch.”
Angling and conservation groups have suggested that industrial reduction fishing for menhaden has affected their numbers, and have led to an adverse impact on gamefish, aquatic mammals, and birds that depend on menhaden for forage.
Virginia is the only state on the Atlantic Coast to allow industrial reduction fishing in estuaries like the Chesapeake. Only one company, Reedville-based Omega Protein/Ocean Harvesters practices industrial reduction fishing for menhaden on the bay.
Omega says menhaden numbers are strong and sustainable. The company points to coast-wide studies to back that claim.
“Ocean Harvesters, the leading menhaden harvesters on the East Coast, has a long history of supporting scientific research,” company spokesperson Ben Landry said in a statement. “There have been upwards of 15 or more significant menhaden research projects this century that we have proudly supported or participated in.”
However, there has been no recent research on menhaden numbers in the Chesapeake.
Landry says any research needs to take into consideration the migratory nature of menhaden:
“As it relates to the Chesapeake Bay, we believe that researchers and regulators should understand the population dynamics of menhaden in and out of the Bay; however that task is difficult. In 2021, the ASMFC Menhaden Technical Committee developed a blueprint for studying menhaden in the Bay over time, since the population changes as they seasonally migrate. It is comprehensive and takes a thoughtful approach to answering this important question.”
Milde says if localized research shows strong numbers, then he has little problem with reduction fishing, but he says knowing is the hard part, and that research needs to be done to assess a resource vital to Virginia’s economy. He says the information a study would provide is needed by Virginia fisheries managers to better understand and manage the resource.
The study will cost three million dollars, but the impact of sport and commercial fishing, as well as wildlife, and tourism totals into the billions.
“Doing a study on menhaden for three million dollars to find out if we’re crushing an ecosystem that’s producing a whole lot more in tax revenue, overall revenue, and economic revenue is not a tough decision,” said Milde. “That’s a small investment for something so important.