Falmouth - Decline In Herring Prompts State To Seek Moratorium

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Looks like you need to do some homework, first of all, NONE of the species you listed eats menhaden. So no matter how bad a shape the menhaden populations is in, it wouldn't aftect thise species at all. Secondly, according to the ASMFC, there are ample stocks of menhaden on the east coast, the "problem" if one exists, is in localized depletion in the area where Omega protein is fishing, in the Chessapeak bay.

MakoMike,
The loss of Bunker or any major forage species absolutely does affect the other forage species. Example: Herring, shad, etc face increased predation if the population of the main forage species, ie bunker has been decimated. If the bunker aren't there the predators turn to something else. I think that's what he meant, not that shad and herring eat bunker .

[zimmy]

The ample stocks thing... I know some of the people in ASMFC and I know how much influence the commercial fisheries has in policy. I have seen the numbers and I know what anecdotal evidence I see in the lack of big bunker in NC, MD, CT, RI, and MA, which are the only places I can really comment on. It is not good anywhere. Are you happy with what you see? And with that, knowing that 85%+ of the striped bass come from the Chesapeake, I think the decline in bunker there is of most dire concern. Not that ASMFC is necessarily get anything done about it .