RI Environmental Groups Urge Raimondo, Sen. Sosnowski to Support Protection of Menhaden

Rhode Island environmental groups and small businesses are urging Governor Gina Raimondo and Senator Susan Sosnowski to support protection of Atlantic Menhaden at an upcoming Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council (ASMFC) meeting.

The council is considering a proposal to provide stronger protections for Atlantic menhaden that takes into consideration the role the menhaden play as both food for other species and a water filterer.

“Rhode Island’s saltwater anglers, who spend millions of dollars pursuing their interest, believe this is the most important fisheries issue to come up for a vote in years. It is clear that the vast majority of those with an interest in menhaden support ecological management of this fish,” said Rich Hittinger, vice president for the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association.

The ASMFC recently closed a public comment period which received more than 100,000 comments in favor of strong Menhaden protections.

“Osprey populations are very strongly linked to menhaden. The recovery of this bird in Rhode Island and across New England is just one example of how other species can benefit if menhaden are managed for their multiple benefits to food chains and ecosystems,” said Meg Kerr, senior director of policy for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

The Meeting

The Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board will meet November 13‐14 in Baltimore, Maryland to consider approval of the proposal to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden and set specifications for the 2018 fishing season. Rhode Island has perhaps the most important voice in this upcoming decision.

Robert Ballou, assistant to the director at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, serves as the chair of the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board—a key decision maker.

“Governor Raimondo appoints two of the three commissioners from Rhode Island, and Senator Sosnowski is the other state commissioner on the Board. Their support for ecological management of menhaden will ensure the state protects species ranging from striped bass to whales, as well as water quality in Narragansett Bay,” said Topher Hamblett, director of policy for Save The Bay.

Atlantic Menhaden

Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia Tyrannus) play a central role in the ecological and economic vitality of the Atlantic coastal ecosystem as an essential food for whales and commercial and game fishes (striped bass, bluefin tuna, bluefish, weakfish, tarpon, sharks) and a host of other marine wildlife.

Menhaden are also a key force in the regulation of regional water quality by filtering phytoplankton, which are the menhaden’s food source and a major cause of algae blooms and brown tides.

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