Menhaden, the small, oil-rich fish found in the Chesapeake Bay, are in trouble, and so are a number of other Bay species who depend on them as a food source.
Referred to as the “most important fish in the sea” due to the role menhaden play in their ecosystem, fish populations are declining and overfishing is to blame.
Virginia-based Omega Protein catches menhaden at industrial scale, turning them into supplements, fish meal and oil, and a number of industrial products.
Following the failure of several bills to protect menhaden and hold this industry accountable during the regular legislative session, Governor Spanberger sent down a budget amendment appropriating $2 million in the biennium to fund research with the goal of establishing a harvest cap grounded in science and sustainability. This work will be carried out by the Virginia Institute on Marine Science in collaboration with the Virginia Marine Fisheries Commission.
The amendment passed out of the House on a vote of 65-25, cleared the Senate 26-12, and was signed into law.