More than two years after commercial harvesters of menhaden on the U.S. East Coast were ordered to curb their catch by 20 percent, the regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) that told them to do so – the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) – has decided to let up on the cap.
Total allowable catch (TAC) for the upcoming 2015 and 2016 menhaden fishing seasons will be boosted to 187,880 metric tons (MT) per year, a 10 percent increase over the TAC for 2014. The ASMFC’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board arrived at the adjusted TAC as new knowledge came to light indicating that menhaden – a staple in fishmeal and fish oil products – were not being overfished, the theory that led to the original 20 percent dip in the catch cap back in 2012.
In addition to increasing the menhaden TAC moving forward, the board also vowed to establish ecological based reference points that properly reflect the role that menhaden play as a forage species.
“The board struck an important balance by increasing fishing opportunities to both the reduction and bait fisheries and committing to fully evaluating the ecological role of Atlantic menhaden through the amendment process,” said Board Chair Robert Boyles from South Carolina.
Response to the decision has been met with positivity from certain NGOs. Joseph Gordon, manager of northeast U.S. Oceans for The Pew Charitable Trusts, lauded the board’s choice as a “wise” step toward modernizing the way the industry approaches menhaden.
“This will not only help keep striped bass, whales, seabirds and other menhaden predators healthy, it will also support the interests of thousands of anglers, birders and business owners from Maine to Florida. Commissioners also rejected an attempt to dramatically increase the allowable catch, a risky idea that could have cut short the menhaden recovery underway,” Gordon said.
Drafting of a Public Information Document is underway, in what the board is calling its first step in the amendment process. Moreover, a work group has been assembled to “gather information concerning the Atlantic menhaden fishery and resource and provide an opportunity for the public to identify and comment on major issues relative to the management of this species.” A progress review of the work group’s efforts will be accessed by the board later in the year.
