If Amendment 1 is implemented as planned, it has the potential to restore the menhaden to former levels of abundance and end ongoing conflict of interest on the Menhaden Management Board, which is currently controlled by the commercial menhaden industry. We ve almost succeeded, but if angers don t turn out, we can still easily fail. The board is assisted by a Technical Committee of disinterested biologists and an Advisory Panel of recreational and commercial fishermen. However, menhaden have historically been managed by a Menhaden Management Board, comprised of seats dedicated to members of the commercial menhaden industry, along with a handful of state officials. The health of the stock is determined by the Atlantic Menhaden Advisory Committee, which is picked by the management board and is dominated by industry representatives.
Independent scientists have little place in the management picture.
This isn t the fox watching the henhouse it s delivering chickens right to the fox s lair. There's two plans on the table for your comment. Option 1 is for a more balanced group of members on the Menhaden Advisory Committed. Option 1would be of great benefit to the menhaden, to predators that depend on the menhaden, to the coastal ecosystem, and to anglers who rely on menhaden to sustain the populations of striped bass, bluefish and other coastal species. However, Option 2 would include dedicated seats for the commercial menhaden industry.