Showdown on Menhaden Appears Unavoidable

Richmond, VA - Governor Kaine’s inability to act on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s menhaden harvest cap today is yet another glaring example of the need for menhaden management to be moved to the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC). 

The Virginia General Assembly decided in January to table a decision on whether to implement a menhaden harvest cap mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). That move put the state on a collision course with the ASMFC, a cooperative, 15-state agency with authority over many species of fish, including menhaden. By tabling the measure, the legislature set the stage for the ASMFC to find the state out of compliance with the menhaden management plan and risked having the Secretary of Commerce shut down the entire reduction fishery.

The only option left for Virginia to avoid this showdown was a proclamation by the Governor implementing the cap. That possibility was denied today by the confusing wording of Virginia’s current regulations.

“CCA VA expresses its profound disappointment that the Governor was unable to act today. This inaction once again clouds not only the future of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay, but also the entire cooperative management concept,” said John Bello, Chairman CCA VA. “We appreciate the Governor's willingness to examine the situation and attempt to rectify it, but this once again confirms the need for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to have the authority to manage this fishery and ensure that resource professionals, not politicians, are responsible for these decisions.”

CCA VA commends Governor Kaine for recognizing the need for sound management of Virginia’s marine resources and the importance of interstate cooperation in protecting the Chesapeake Bay and critical coastal fisheries, such as menhaden.