Act Now!

9/7/11 Local anglers to support a cap on Atlantic Menhaden fishing

Mission: Restoration of the mid-Atlantic food chain

Beachgoers near Asbury Park experienced a rare marine spectacle this July: a family of humpback whales feeding less than 200 yards offshore. As the whales jumped into the air, they sprayed foot-long fish in every direction, gulping to catch as many as possible in their mouths. In between the “Oohs” and “Ahhhs,” onlookers inevitably began to ask, “What fish are the whales feeding on?”

Few aside from the local anglers knew the answer: menhaden, also known as “bunker.” Much like herring, bunker swim in large schools, feeding on such microorganisms as copepods and plankton. The whales alternated between casual filter feeding on the reddish-colored mats of plankton and then, when the time was right, lunging mouthfuls of bunkers. Over the course of three days, the delicate marine food chain depleted itself. The humpback whales and the onlookers disappeared.

Listed as “endangered” in the United States, the humpback whale feeds on a fish that is, itself, in decline as a result of commercial overfishing. The question we then need to ask is, “If there were no bunker, what would the whales eat?” By extension, what would the bluefish, osprey, seals,striped bass, tuna and other wildlife eat? As recreational fishermen, particularly striped bass anglers, have long known, all of these species feed regularly on bunker, one of the primary ocean forage fish.

Two commercial sectors fish for menhaden. The commercial “reduction” industry lands 80% of all menhaden. One company dominates the market: Omega Protein Corporation, based out of Texas and Virginia. Each year, Omega fishes 200,000 metric tons of menhaden from mid-Atlantic waters. They “reduce,” or grind up the fish which they market internationally as fish meal and omega-3 fish oil—all for profit.

Bunker fishmeal and oil provide a protein boost in human and pet food chains. When used as feed in aquaculture, which currently supplies 60 percent of the fish we eat, bunker fish meal and oils help move fish to market faster. When used in dog and cat food, these products enhance omega-3 levels for a fraction of the cost of using whole or sustainably harvested fish.

The remaining 20 percent of the total Atlantic menhaden catch is attributed to the New England bait fishery, which provides menhaden for the huge lobster fishery that spans several states. Over the course of the last decade, the Atlantic herring fishery in New England has been depleted, forcing lobstermen to seek another source of bait.

Traditionally, small vessels have been used to collect menhaden for the recreational fishing, and commercial crab and lobster markets. These small vessels are now being accompanied by larger carrier vessels ( photo above), to optimize and increase daily catches to unprecedented levels.

As a result of the overexploitation of menhaden by the reduction fishery, and increased use of menhaden by the bait industry, fishermen along the Atlantic coast are witnessing localized depletion of menhaden and the gamefish that depend on them.

To this day, fishing operations face no limit or “cap” on the amount of bunker they can remove from the ocean. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the governing body charged with managing fishery resources, announced in March that “the Atlantic menhaden is not overfished and overfishing is occurring.”

Marine biologists use the term “overfishing” to describe the situation when fish are being taken out of the ecosystem faster than nature can replace them. Additionally, they state that 32 out of the past 54 years of the commercial fishery, overfishing has been occurring. It’s no mistake that the public doesn’t have a clue as to what is going on, but this is about to change.

The time to act is now. For the first time in the history of this commercial fishery, the ASMFC is taking public comment on a Draft Addendum that “proposes establishing a new interim fishing mortality threshold and target (based on maximum spawning potential or MSP) with the goal of increasing abundance, spawning stock biomass, and menhaden availability as a forage species.” In short, the ASMFC will put teeth in the effort to end overfishing and return menhaden stocks to healthy levels.

We have until November 2 to make our voices heard.

Please visit our website www.menhadendefenders.org to learn more and send your comments to the ASMFC.

It’s up to the recreational angling community to get together and turn around the decline.

Tight lines,
Capt Paul Eidman
Menhaden Defenders