[skinnys-kid]

I know that some of you will post in witness to this as you were out fishing today, but I'm off of work now and the sight is still etched in my mind.

I was working in a house back in Croatan today. I got a couple of calls from guys telling me the fish were biting at Cape Henry, so I called a couple others I knew were out. All morning I could hear the buzz of a plane circling over head. Then I could see birds beehiving through the houses. I called Owen to let him know. Later in the afternoon I finally saw the plane...to my surprise it was 3 planes, all painted the same doing circles right in front of Croatan. I finished work and went to the beach to hopefully see the fleet cacthing stripers left and right. Instead, my jaw dropped and my stomach turned at the sight of 3 big trawlers(like small Navy ships) and several smaller net boats not even a mile off the beach. Nets in circles being drawn together with tons of menhaden, and I'm sure some striper bycatch, swirling around. It was unbelieveable and a truly sad thing to see.

I understand that these guys, the ones actcually running the boats, not the white collar guys in Texas, have families to raise and such, but come on! 3 freaking planes flying around and 3 gigantic trawlers AND the half dozen smaller netters!!This is way beyond comprehension. The fact that Omega 3, now the Cod Liver Omega 3 Foundation(makes it sound like they're out to help the world!!) continues to do this, and our state allows it, is outrageous. When will they see what the effects of their raping of the baitfish will have on the rest of the bay's ecology?!?!All for a pill filled with the "Fountain of Youth"!!

You want to catch these baitfish for this pill, then do it on a level playing field. Cut corporate costs by not having the spotter planes, net out side the 3 mile line so the recreational boats have a shot at catching fish(not in stones throw from the inlet!) These guys don't see the big picture...they're too focused on whats right in front of them, but if you catch all the fish today, you'll be sitting on the docks tomorrow and the white collar bunch will be on to there next venture counting their millions!

Best solution...if people want Omega 3 protein in their diet, tell them to eat fish!! Oh! but you can't eat fish because the bay is polluted, well we can't clean the bay becasue all the natural filter fish...MENHADEN..are gone!!

I'm done!!

[SEAKING23]

I had no idea that was even going on! You've really educated me on that!
THATS NOT RIGHT!

[Voodoo]

I was out there today and I saw it first hand. There were at least six of the trawlers out off Cape Henry today. Sad sight seeing all that fish being thrown into the hold.

[Marlin Maniac]

Good rant Don!!! You're right on all counts. I got home about 4:00 this afternoon and watched them from the deck back up north of Dam Neck. Those Haney boats are monsters, but they've been there for years, so have the spotter planes. The ASMFC did cap their catch earlier this year. They can catch no more than they did last year, 109,000 metric tons. Problem is last year's catch was the biggest ever, and may not be sustainable by the fishery. I would have less of a problem with it if they were catching for human consumption, not for fertilizer and lipstick. My answer: Viagra for Bunker. We'll just get those little puppies humming along making little striper baits by the billions! Omega 3 fills their quota every year, bunker end up filtering the entire contents of the bay every 6 minutes and all stripers are 50" and plumb. Everyone wins! I'll be collecting monitary donations at the meet and greet tonight!

[sewelljx]

Marlin Maniac your a genius

[Getaway]

Earlier this year, we were all given an opportunity to write to our state representatives and the governor about our concern over this situation. There just didn't seem to be enough interest at the time for many to take the time to write. Now we have to put up with this situation for another five years while a study takes place--a study pretty much controlled by Omega Protein, by the way. Enough said!

[peejcj8]

You can Buy the viagra from some of these dumb ads that get on this site and Dons picture site.

Ban Ad's and commerial Menhaden boats.

[Sandtiger]

Earlier this year, we were all given an opportunity to write to our state representatives and the governor about our concern over this situation.  There just didn't seem to be enough interest at the time for many to take the time to write.  Now we have to put up with this situation for another five years while a study takes place--a study pretty much controlled by Omega Protein, by the way.  Enough said!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The probelm is that the majority are either 1) totally uniformed (maybe they want to be) or 2) nobody cares because theydon't think it affects them.

Now here's a very active group and Virginia needs more like these guys. They got the netting of menhaden out of their bays and I think out of their portion of the ocean, too.

So if a group like this can do it in NJ why can't it be done here? Because to be honest I don't think the majority cares................

[Ktrain]

[quote=Sandtiger,Dec 15 2006, 07:58 PM][quote=Getaway,Dec 15 2006, 06:44 PM]Earlier this year, we were all given an opportunity to write to our state representatives and the governor about our concern over this situation.  There just didn't seem to be enough interest at the time for many to take the time to write.  Now we have to put up with this situation for another five years while a study takes place--a study pretty much controlled by Omega Protein, by the way.  Enough said!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]
The probelm is that the majority are either 1) totally uniformed (maybe they want to be) or 2) nobody cares because theydon't think it affects them.

Now here's a very active group and Virginia needs more like these guys. They got the netting of menhaden out of their bays and I think out of their portion of the ocean, too.

So if a group like this can do it in NJ why can't it be done here? Because to be honest I don't think the majority cares................

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]


What they do is total bull-chit

[guido]

Well for starters, now that allen has been given the boot perhaps the commission which oversees this the fisheries will have a less corporate makeup.

[Mega Bite]

It looks like a floating assembly line ,they are obviously trying to get as much as they can before this year ends.This week they had 4 spotter planes and about 8 trawlers.They know the Sport fishing industry lobbies against them thats another reason they are right in the middle of Striper season.They are going to really piss enough people off this year you watch they are doing their selves in this time.I cant stand to see tha carnage going on out there it really makes me want to get more involved.I am going to make a few calls to some people I know who have the ability to hinder their efforts.

[dirtyhandslopez]

We are peed off? How do we think the stripers like it?

[RECOVERY]

I agree with everyone, we were out their today and it was a terrable feeling seeing
all the trawlers and net boats just raping our fishery for stuff of no real importance
and so close to shore. One trawler was right off Rudee.
You just know their nets had to contain masive amounts of Rockfish.

[Sandtiger]

Forgot to put the link in my post above. So, here's a link to a group of recreational fishermen that actually get very involved. VA fishermen should do the same.........

Menhaden Project:

http://www.jcaa.org/...aden/sld001.htm

[Labhunt]

It's time something be done about this. There needs to be a complete moratorium of this outragious menhaden slaughter. The bay will continue to suffer unless something is done.

[Marlin Maniac]

The difference between New Jersey and Virginia is when Big Business buys a Virginia Congressman, he stays bought. Regardless of what the people want. Menahden is the only fishery in the state that is regulated directly by the state legislature, not the Marine Fisheries Department. So politics rule the roost, not science. I cut the following from the Menhaden Matter website:

ACTION NEEDED BY VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
In Virginia, menhaden is the only marine fishery
managed by the legislature, rather than by
fishery experts at the state’s own Marine
Resources Commission. Thus, in order for
Virginia to comply with the harvest cap, the
legislature must adopt a policy that implements
the catch limits as mandated by the ASMFC.
POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF VIRGINIA’S ENTIRE
MENHADEN FISHERY
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, through the
National Marine Fisheries Service, has the
authority to shut down the entire fishery in
state waters if a state fails to implement the
required provisions of an ASMFC fisheries
management plan. The closure could affect
Virginia’s entire menhaden fishery — the larger
industrial scale fishery, as well as the smaller
bait fishery. The financial ramifications of such
an action would be devastating with significant
loss of jobs and revenue.
FOR MORE INFORMATION WHY MENHADEN MATTER
TO VIRGINIA
• National Coalition for Marine Conservation,
Ken Hinman (703) 777-0037
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jeff Corbin
(804) 780-1392
• Coastal Conservation Association, Dick
Brame (910) 793-3098
• Environmental Defense, Kathleen Goldstein
(202) 572-3243
www.menhadenmatter.org
THE
SCIENCE
The total stock of Atlantic menhaden has declined, in terms
of numbers of fish in the population, to levels approaching the
overfished condition of the 1960s and 1970s. Atlantic Menhaden
Stock Assessment for Peer Review, ASMFC Stock Assessment Report
No. 04-01 (Supplemental). ASMFC 2004.
Menhaden abundance is lowest in Chesapeake Bay, particularly
for juvenile fish. Since the mid-1990s, the number of juvenile fish
(age 0-2) has reached historic lows.” Analyses on the Status of the
Atlantic Menhaden Stock. Vaughn et al. NOAA Fisheries, July 2002.
Terms of Reference & Advisory Report for the Atlantic Menhaden
Stock Assessment Peer Review. ASMFC 2004.
The amount of menhaden consumed by striped bass, as a
proportion of their total diet, is significantly reduced. Striped Bass
Predator-Prey Interactions in the Chesapeake Bay and Along the
Atlantic Coast. Anthony Overton, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of
Maryland Eastern Shore, 2003.
Chesapeake Bay striped bass have 10 to 25 percent of the
body fat found in healthy fish. Striped Bass Health. John Jacobs.
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies.
<http://www.dnr-state.md.us/fisheries/oxford/stripedbass/>
A majority of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay – 50 to 70
percent – are infected with a stress-released disease known as
mycobacteriosis. Mycobacteriosis in Striped Bass. U.S. Geological
Survey Fish Health Branch, Leetown Science Center. Fact Sheet FHB
2002-01. August 2002.
In recent years, there has been an increase in natural mortality
among Chesapeake Bay striped bass due to unknown causes.
Tag-Recapture Data from Chesapeake Bay Resident Striped Bass
Indicates that Survival has Declined. Presented at the 60th Annual
Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, Ocean City, Maryland,
April 27, 2004. to Virginia MENHADEN MATTER

It is significant to note that the Virginia Legislature refused to implement a cap on Menhaden, and the Fed (ASMFC) stepped in and capped the catch. And EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMITTEE THAT REFUSED TO CAP THE CATCH HAD RECIEVED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OMEGA 3. EVERY SINGLE ONE. If you want to end the menhaden slaughter, write your state representatives and use your right to vote. Boot the bastards out. But that's my opinion, I could be wrong.

[jimlant]

Someone might want to take some video of these guys in action off our coast and send a copy to the news media and see if they are interested in making a story of this topic. Pictures really work much better and especially if its off our own coast. Another place to send it to is Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Well if anyone knows who to write to post it and we can start getting some appropriate harrassment going.

[71Whaler]

Does anyone know if we, recreational fishermen, have to get out of the way of these netters if we are not in a shipping channel? While fishing yesterday right off the light houses at CH, I heard the big Omega boats laying on their horns to get recreational boats to move. As far I know that was not a channel and if it was I don't think they would be allowed to fish it.

ANother website to check out:

http://www.menhadenmatter.org/

[skinnys-kid]

We've got enough boats as recreational guys...lets form a blockade. We can't block the channels but we can make it hard enough for them to get around us giving time for the bait to get away...making a longer run for the trawlers thus more gas=more expense!!

Time to let the pirates in us all come to the surface!!!