Time for action on menhaden harvest

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About this time for the past few years it seems we devote this column to the subject of menhaden; or rather the lack of menhaden. Usually we just lament the paucity of the fish that is so vital to the health of the striper, bluefish and so many other species of fish, and go on to denounce the lack of action by the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission in doing anything about it.

But this year's menhaden column is different.

Oh no, sorry to say, the menhaden (a.k.a. bunker) are still as scarce as snake legs in Long Island Sound. In fact, if anything, there are fewer adult bunkers in Long Island Sound this season than last. Only an influx of small bait like sand eels and silversides has kept the inshore fishing scene alive with small bluefish and stripers hanging around for the feast.

What is different about this bunker column is that as of early this month, after a decade of dithering, ASMFC actually took a big step on the path to cutting the commercial menhaden harvest. It happened at the council's annual meeting where an almost unanimous vote approved a period of public comment on menhaden protection. Called draft amendment V (not for victory), the proposal offers five management options from doing nothing (that would fit nicely with ASFMC's past polices) to cutting the commercial take by as much as 45 percent.

That commercial take is accomplished in great part by a Houston, Texas-based company called Omega Protein that has processing facilities in Reedville, Va. (This accounts for the Virginia delegation being the only one to vote against the menhaden proposal.)

As Jim Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, told Dan Redel of the Web site MyNewJersey.com, "This is not some mom-and-pop commercial fishing outfit for food. It's an immense corporation which has historically put profit before the public good."

Using a fleet of boats capable of processing the menhaden at sea, and spotter planes capable of spotting menhaden schools from on high, the company literally vacuums up vast schools of the forage fish from the open ocean long before they can reach the harbors and estuaries of the Eastern Seaboard.

The other great consumer of menhaden is the commercial bait companies. With herring schools disappearing, the companies that supply lobster boats with bait for their traps will likely switch to menhaden. As the battle lines are drawn for ASFMC's final menhaden decision, the bait companies are likely to ally with Omega Protein.

The battle to reduce the commercial menhaden take is just beginning. Omega Protein is a huge company with many highly paid lawyers (is there any other kind?) capable of mounting a formidable defense against the resources of the poor recreational fishing constituency.

Recreational fishers must take advantage of the public comment period to make their feelings known. Connecticut must schedule public hearings on the menhaden issue within the next few months. It is time for us to stop complaining about the lack of menhaden and do something.