Menhaden Problems in The Chesapeake

[Rudy]

https://www.tradeonlytoday.com/.amp/...antic-and-gulf

Read this article and notice how Omega try’s to blame us , recreational fisherman, for most of the problems they have. All because we overfished the striped bass and blamed them. I guess taking all the forage foods and the by-catch of breading female stripers during their fishing operations are not hurt the natural cycle life for the Striped Bass of the Chesapeake.


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[Mark]

That's an interesting article.

Omega's claim that the striped bass fishery is in decline due to recreational anglers is indeed wrong. Rarely is any event of consequence due to one cause. A lot of factors are contributing to striper decline -- poor spawns, C&R mortality, forage food decline, pollution, mismanagement by fisheries officials (even if well intended), etc. There are probably factors no one has considered yet. The key is everyone working together to find a solution, but that's the hard part because livelihoods are at stake.

However if the graphic in the article was completely accurate, the stash of money in circle on the right would be much larger because recreational anglers contribute vastly more money to economies than commercial entities do. That doesn't mean that commercial interests should be ignored. But from a purely economic standpoint coastal states would do well economically to protect the interests of recreational anglers.

[ronaultmtd]

Just look at Bass Pro Shops annual revenue, Greentop, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Sportsman Warehouse, Evenrude, Mercury Marine, Lowrance, Humminbird, West Marine...now go to a seafood market and compare revenues...you get the picture...