Menhaden make great bait. They are also an incredibly important forage species for sportfish. Here’s a quick update on the ongoing effort to protect Atlantic menhaden populations, which will hopefully result in well-fed striped bass and other gamefish.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Menhaden Management Board voted to reduce the Atlantic menhaden quota by 10 percent, establishing a quota of 194,400 metric tons for the 2021 and 2022 fishing years.
The harvest reduction comes in response to a recent fundamental shift in Atlantic menhaden management. In August, ASMFC unanimously adopted a new ecological management system that considers the needs of predator species and is set up to help rebuild the striped bass population. The decision on menhaden is important to the recreational angling community because it represents a follow through on the commitment by ASMFC to implement this new system.
“While we recognize additional work will be needed, healthy and sustainable menhaden and sportfish stocks are critically important to the recreational boating and fishing community, and this decision is an important step toward protecting and rebuilding both of these critical populations,” said NMMA’s Nicole Vasilaros.