The Middle River Group, LLC

fly fishing, conservation and politics.

menhaden

Offering My Opinion On Fishing Responsibly

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“Anglers, both recreational and commercial, need to take a long view if they want to keep fishing,” Sadler says. “Nobody wants to catch the last fish, but nobody wants to stop fishing either. Something has to give … there is a personal responsibility aspect to it that requires action by everyone.” He adds that “we are at the tipping point where our collective impact on the planet is causing a cascading series of events that are robbing future generations. We need to get a grip on that and start thinking about our grandchildren’s grandchildren — not just our present-day needs.”

Read the InsideHook article, How to Fish the Chesapeake Responsibly, Before It’s Ruined for Everyone.

Congress needs to fix the ASMFC

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In his article, AT THE ASMFC: THE COMPELLING FORCE OF LAW, Charles Witek points out the dichotomy at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission when it comes to enforcing fishing management regulations.

The good news is that ASMFC can, with the help of NOAA, force the states to adhere to the regulations. In this case menhaden in the Commonwealth of Virginia. On the other hand, with striped bass, when it comes to enforcing their own rules they come up short. Very short.

“The irony of the situation is that, while the ASMFC can use such legal consequences to compel the states to comply with its management plans, if the ASMFC itself fails to comply with the explicit terms of one of its own management plans, it faces no consequences at all.”

Worse, as Witek points out, is there is no way for the public to compel the ASMFC to act.

“And if the public can’t even compel the ASMFC to do what it had already said it would do to protect the health of fish stocks, it certainly lacks the power to force the ASMFC to do what the public expects of it: rebuild overfished stocks and then maintain those stocks at healthy levels, something that, in the 77-year history of the organization, it has not ever done—even once.”

I agree with Witek, its time we revised the legislation that controls ASMFC to make sure they are doing their job. I suspect in the near future there will be an effort started, asking Congress to amend the law so if ASMFC fails to do its job the public can go to the court and seek compliance, “judicial intervention” as Witek notes.

Stay tuned.

Source: ONE ANGLER’S VOYAGE: AT THE ASMFC: THE COMPELLING FORCE OF LAW

Support Proper Menhaden Management In Virginia

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Menhaden, often called the most important fish in the sea, need your help.

Right now the Virginia General Assembly is considering legislation that will put management of menhaden where it belongs, in the hands of the professionals at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC).

If that sentence took you by surprise, you are not alone. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, fishing for menhaden is regulated by the General Assembly. It is the only fish in the Commonwealth managed by elected officials and it has led to a crisis.

Last year, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) found that Virginia was not complyingwas not complying with the coast wide management plan for menhaden. Virginia must come into compliance by June 17, 2020 or a fishing moratorium will be imposed.

In order to bring Virginia into compliance, the General Assembly must act in this session. The best approach to achieve compliance is to pass legislation, HB 1448 and SB 971, transferring management authority to the VMRC.

Please take a moment to send emails to your Delegate and Senator asking them to support this important legislation.

Thanks in advance for taking action today!

It’s time to take politics out of fisheries – The Washington Post

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Chris Moore pens a compelling Op/Ed about the menhaden fishery and what Virginia’s General Assembly should do.

One thing is very clear now that the federal government has backed up the ASMFC and found that Omega Protein put Virginia out of compliance. We need to take politics out of menhaden. This legislative session, Virginia must do the right thing for the environment and let the VMRC manage the largest fishery in the state, just as they do with all the others.”

Source: It’s time to take politics out of fisheries – The Washington Post