New fishery management benchmarks for Atlantic menhaden, often called “the most important fish in the sea,” were established today in an effort to increase its population to four times the current size. The measure was adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the interstate body that governs the menhaden fishery, after an intensive two-month campaign led by the Pew Environment Group.

“Today’s vote is a welcome step for a fish that hasn’t caught a break since Dwight Eisenhower was president,” said Peter Baker, director of Northeast Fisheries at the Pew Environment Group. “Scientists have warned that having too few menhaden in the water could result in disastrous impacts on the fish and wildlife that eat them.”

During its meeting today, the ASMFC agreed with its scientific advisors and set more conservative fishing standards to help menhaden stocks recover. The fishery, the largest on the East Coast by weight, has exceeded the designated “safe fishing target” every year since 1960. As a result, the population is at less than 10 percent of historic levels.

“In looking at studies over the past few decades, we see declining amounts of menhaden in the diets of striped bass, ospreys, bluefish, and weakfish,” said Holly Binns, director of Southeast Fish Conservation at the Pew Environment Group. “Saltwater fishing, whale watching, and bird watching—which rely on species that eat menhaden—generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year on the East Coast. The new benchmarks will help sustain our coastal economies and communities.”

About three-quarters of the Atlantic menhaden catch comes from the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding ocean waters. Most of these fish are ground up and reduced to fish meal and oil for use as dietary supplements, fertilizer, farm animal feed, and pet food.

“More and more, we see that menhaden, herring, and other so-called forage fish—the species that the larger, better-known fish eat—are an irreplaceable link in the ocean food chain,” said Baker. “Today’s decision marks a watershed moment, where the ASMFC embraced the challenge of managing the entire ecosystem, not just one species. We look forward to working with the Commission to establish new rules that enforce these targets.”

GALLOWAY, N.J. (Oct. 12, 2011)—Peter Baker, director of the Pew Environment Group's Northeast Fisheries Program and the Herring Alliance, issued the following statement today in response to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (MAFMC) decision to seek public input on a set of proposed measures to be considered in Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

“The proposal to require industrial-scale vessels to carry fishing observers on all trips and to prohibit dumping or hiding dead catch before it is examined by the observer will provide solid data on everything that is caught in the nets, not just what is targeted. Further, if the council caps the total amount of river herring and shad hauled in each year and discourages fishing in areas where these species are highly concentrated, this catch could be lowered to a reasonable amount.”

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River Herring—Recreational fishermen discuss the plight of this species in the northeastern United States.

The Tip of the Iceberg—Troubling loopholes in the herring fishery prevent onboard observers from accurately sampling bycatch, including marine mammals.

Fact Sheets:

Atlantic Herring—This fish is one of the most important in New England and a critical part of the northwestern Atlantic ecosystem.

Bycatch and Monitoring—Bycatch, the unintended capture of unwanted fish and other animals, is a growing concern in the Atlantic herring fishery.

History of a Fishery—Atlantic herring have been caught off New England for centuries. But the fishery has recently changed, becoming increasingly industrial.

River Herring—Populations of alewives and bluebacks are in serious decline along the Atlantic Coast and face numerous threats.

The Herring Alliance is a coalition of environmental organizations that includes more than 40 groups dedicated to restoring ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems from North Carolina to Maine by reforming the management of important fish species such as Atlantic (or sea) herring.

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands and promote clean energy.

www.HerringAlliance.org
www.PewEnvironment.org/Herring

DANVERS, Mass. (Sept. 29, 2011)—Peter Baker, director of the Pew Environment Group's Northeast Fisheries Program and the Herring Alliance, issued the following statement today in response to the New England Fishery Management Council’s decision to seek public input on a long-awaited set of proposed regulations that would be included under Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan.

“Today’s vote invites the public to help guide how we improve the inadequate management of industrial fishing for Atlantic herring. In targeting this species off New England’s coast, midwater trawlers often ensnare other fish, marine mammals and seabirds in nets hundreds of feet long, damaging this complex ocean ecosystem.

“We support the proposal that would require a federal observer on every midwater trawler trip to sample the entire catch. Onboard observers would finally allow fishery managers to verify what vessels are hauling in and would put the Atlantic herring fishery on par with others in the industry that use similar-size ships and gear. The release or dumping of unsampled catch by this fleet should not be allowed except under unusual circumstances, such as mechanical failure or when safety is a concern, and use of these exceptions should be carefully controlled.

“We agree with the Council’s inclusion of an option that would prohibit directed fishing for Atlantic herring in areas where river herring—a related and severely depleted species—are caught in large numbers. Midwater trawlers should also be excluded from ocean areas with designations that protect rebuilding groundfish populations, because the massive nets scoop up almost everything in their paths.

“People in this region care about and depend upon their stretch of the Atlantic Ocean, one of the richest marine environments in the United States. All herring species play a critical role as a food source in this ecosystem. Our fisheries management should operate on scientific observations and keep enough fish in the water for generations to come.”

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Background:

The New England Fishery Management Council is in the final stages of developing new monitoring and bycatch rules that would be included under Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. The council will now prepare a draft of the new rules, which will then be released for a 45-day public comment period starting in early December. Public comments will be reviewed, and final management measures will probably be voted on at the Council’s Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2012, meeting in Portsmouth, N.H.

Herring are one of the most important prey species in the Atlantic Ocean, feeding whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds, as well as the fish many people love to eat―tuna, haddock, cod and striped bass. Similarly, coastal communities and their ocean-based tourism businesses depend on herring for sport fishing and whale and seabird watching.

River herring video and animation:

River Herring—Recreational fishermen discuss the plight of this species in the northeastern United States.

The Tip of the Iceberg—Troubling loopholes in the herring fishery prevent onboard observers from accurately sampling bycatch, including marine mammals.

Weir Fishing—Contemporary fishermen show how to set up a fishing weir, an ancient type of trap dating to Roman times in what is now Britain and to the Bronze Age in today’s Sweden.

Fact Sheets:

Atlantic Herring—This fish is one of the most important in New England and a critical part of the northwestern Atlantic ecosystem.

Bycatch ands Monitoring—Bycatch, the unintended capture of unwanted fish and other animals, is a growing concern in the Atlantic herring fishery.

History of a Fishery—Atlantic herring have been caught off New England for centuries. But the fishery has recently changed, becoming increasingly industrial.

River Herring—Populations of alewives and bluebacks are in serious decline along the Atlantic Coast and face numerous threats.

The Herring Alliance is a coalition of environmental organizations that includes more than 40 groups dedicated to restoring ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems from North Carolina to Maine by reforming the management of important fish species such as Atlantic (or sea) herring.

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands and promote clean energy.

www.HerringAlliance.org
www.PewEnvironment.org/Herring

This coming Thursday is a big day for herring at the New England Fishery Management Council meeting in Danvers, Mass. The Council will hopefully approve a range of options to monitor and reduce bycatch of river herring in the Atlantic herring fishery.

What can you do to make a difference?

Attend the meeting this week. Speak up and remind the full Council that states and communities throughout New England have invested in restoring herring runs. River herring bycatch in the sea herring fishery is long-unaddressed concern that demands effective action, with no further delays.

Email or call your Council representative today. Tell them to support river herring recovery by advancing a strong set of protections to minimize their catch in federal waters. Let them know you would like the provisions outlined in the above letter to be advanced for public comment.

Sign a petition. Help support similar efforts in the Mid-Atlantic, where there is also a plan to monitor and reduce bycatch of river herring and shad by the squid and mackerel fisheries.