Press release courtesy of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).

Urge ASMFC to Strengthen Chesapeake Bay Menhaden Protections

This November, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has an opportunity to strengthen Atlantic menhaden management in the Chesapeake Bay through Draft Addendum II. For the sportfishing industry, maintaining abundant menhaden populations is both a conservation and economic priority. Menhaden provide critical forage for striped bass, bluefish, red drum, cobia and other popular sportfish, while also serving as one of the Atlantic Coast’s most important recreational baits. Specifically, anglers used menhaden as bait on an estimated 13.9 million fishing days, generating approximately $804 million in spending and supporting more than 7,200 jobs.

Given the outsized importance of menhaden to our industry, ASA supports the following actions in Draft Addendum II:

• Link the Bay Cap to the coastwide TAC. Options C1e and C2a would set the Bay Cap at approximately 13.6% of the coastwide TAC while maintaining the existing 51,000-metric-ton upper limit. At the current TAC, this would reduce the Chesapeake Bay Cap by approximately 50%, to 25,500 metric tons, and ensure Bay harvest responds to future coastwide management decisions.
• Spread harvest throughout the season. Option B2 would establish 25% / 25% / 50% quota periods, reducing the potential for concentrated harvest when forage needs may be particularly important.
• Make quota periods meaningful. Option B would require early-period overages to be deducted from the following period while allowing unused quota to roll forward, providing flexibility without undermining the seasonal limits.
• Revisit the Bay Cap every three years. Regular review would allow managers to incorporate new Chesapeake Bay-specific science and adjust management as our understanding of menhaden and predator needs improves.

Click the link below to tell ASMFC to support these science-based Chesapeake Bay menhaden management measures. Additionally, we encourage all members to attend an in-person or virtual public hearing. The full hearing schedule is included in the link below.