Virginia is among the 15 states commissioned to manage fisheries along the Atlantic Coast. There are now three studies set to look at commercial fishing and other impacts on menhaden, a schooling fish with both ecological and industrial importance. The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission is considering slashing the commercial catch and spread out fishing days in the Chesapeake Bay.
The majority of that catch goes to the Reedville-based Canadian company that turns the fish into a variety of products. The fleet and factory sustains the Northern Neck community. So, the commission went there to hear them out.
On Saturday morning, 439 people, many with babies and kids in tow, gathered at the Northumberland County school auditorium to ask the fisheries commission to wait for the science. There were teachers, a grocery store manager, and a museum director, but mostly families of those who work for Ocean Harvesters fishing fleet and factory workers for Omega Protein.
Those who spoke, patiently stood in line, some for two hours, waiting their turn for 3 minutes before officials from the commission. Among them was 13-year-old Charlotte Blackwell and her brother Dawson.
"Our dad is a fishboat captain and we have many family members who also work in this industry," Charlotte told the board. "My question for this board, what bay-specific science shows that another reduction is necessary? Right here at Northumberland Middle School, we are taught how science works. We are taught to ask questions, examine evidence, separate facts from opinions and let the evidence lead us to the conclusion. Please hold yourselves to that same standard."
The fish factory and the fishing fleet employ some 260 people.
"Which is 16 million dollars to our county residents that’s provided to Northumberland County alone," Keith Harris notes. Harris is a local farmer and member of the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors.
"There's another 250 additional jobs that are supporters that are the trucking companies that are the welders that are people coming and do their job that's also supported in Northumberland County. They pay around $700,000 in taxes to our country every year," he added.
The county is only beginning to consider what might replace the fish factory.
"We're at the end of the road," Harris notes of Northumberland County's location on the Northern Neck. "There's no through traffic, people come here for a reason and it's hard to draw any industry here."
The three upcoming studies of menhaden in the bay will have upwards of $4.5 million to try to determine the population in the bay, how much is being caught by the industry, better ways to manage the industry, while considering other species that rely on the fish.
Joseph Grist heads the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and represents the state on the Atlantic fisheries commission.
"So, very soon, VMRC, VIMS, and ASMFC will all have a joint meeting to coordinate all of the studies so that we're not overlapping and we're getting the most bang for the buck. This will give us that science answer that we're really looking for," Grist says.
Environmentalists and anglers are also counting on the studies to address concerns about potential industry impacts on dwindling striped bass and osprey populations.
VMRC will hold another hearing at their main office on Monday, September 28th from 6:00 PM-8:00 p.m.
Comments may also be emailed to comments@asmfc.org. The deadline for public comments is 11:59 p.m. October 9th.