# Omega Menhaden



## johnnyleo11 (Dec 17, 2003)

http://webapps.mlca.uscg.mil/LantareaNews/viewArticles.cfm?newsID=19253


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

johnnyleo11 said:


> http://webapps.mlca.uscg.mil/LantareaNews/viewArticles.cfm?newsID=19253


Busted link, for me anyway.


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## johnnyleo11 (Dec 17, 2003)

Sorry,

Was looking at some stuff on the Intranet at work...

Newport News Daily Press (VA) 
Greenpeace activists dispatched inflatable boats Tuesday in the lower Chesapeake Bay to thwart the fishing operations of a Texas company that harvests hundreds of millions of pounds of menhaden every year. 

Greenpeace is one of several environmental organizations seeking a cap or a moratorium on the menhaden fishery, which is dominated by Omega Protein. The Houston company employs about 250 people at its processing plant in Reedville, on the tip of Virginia's Northern Neck. 

Tuesday's incident marked the first time that an environmental group has taken direct action to disrupt Omega's operations, a company spokesman said. 

Nancy Hwa, a spokeswoman for Greenpeace, said several Omega fishing boats that were trolling the mouth of the Chesapeake for schools of menhaden were hampered by four or five Greenpeace activists on the water in two inflatable boats. 

The Greenpeace boats impeded the efforts of the small tender boats used by Omega to draw nets around the massive schools of menhaden that make their way into the bay. 

"Our boats essentially ran ahead of their boats and made the menhaden scatter," Hwa said. 

John Hocevar, a coordinator for Greenpeace who participated in Tuesday's operation, said the inflatable boats got within 75 feet of Omega's tenders. 

"There was no confrontation. It was quite peaceful," Hocevar said. 

The first Omega boat encountered by Greenpeace pulled up stakes when Greenpeace arrived, Hocevar said. Later, Greenpeace found a fleet of Omega boats and did its best to thwart the catch. 

"Our boats were able to limit what they caught," Hocevar said. "If anything, we gave some fish a fighting chance." 

Toby Gascon, a spokesman for Omega, said his company's fishermen were improperly harassed by Greenpeace and that Virginia law prohibits disruption of commercial fishing operations. 

"Greenpeace and its allies aren't content to try and restrict commercial fishing through lawful channels," Gascon said. "They have now demonstrated that their real agenda is to put Omega out of business, even if it means risking the safety of Omega's fishermen." 

Hwa and Hocevar said Greenpeace's efforts were legal because their boats had the same right to the water that Omega's have and did not threaten Omega's safety or impede its navigation. 

"The fish do not belong to Omega," Hwa said. 

Coast Guard spokesman Pety Officer Kip Wadlow said the Coast Guard responded Tuesday afternoon to a call from Omega, but did not witness anything illegal. 

"We were just there to make sure things didn't escalate," Wadlow said. 

A spokesman for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which also responded to Tuesday's incident, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. 

Gascon said he was not sure to what extent Greenpeace had disrupted Tuesday's operations. 

"At the very least it was unsafe and put a lot of workers in danger," Gascon said. 

Later this month, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is scheduled to vote on a proposal that would cap the menhaden fishery. Some environmental groups say the menhaden population is overfished, but Omega says the population is plentiful and that any new regulations would greatly harm their operation. Virginia's representative on the commission has been fighting efforts to impose a cap. 

Menhaden are a small, oily bait fish inedible to humans, but a major food supply for other species in the bay. 

Menhaden have been used for decades in animal feed, but recently the long-chain fatty acids found in the fish oil have found popularity as a diet supplement believed to have certain health benefits. 

More than 370 million pounds of menhaden are hauled into Reedville docks every year, making the tiny town one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the nation. 

Omega says it has been forced to concentrate its fishing efforts in the lower Chesapeake because so many other Atlantic states have banned industrial menhaden fishing.


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## Zombie (Jul 26, 2005)

HA! HA! I think more boaters should do that. Nice work Greenpeace.


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## Fly Wacko (Aug 8, 2005)

*Greenpeace*

I never thought that I would be tempted to send them a donation. But if they keep this up........


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## Hawk (Feb 19, 2004)

*Hmmmm*



> Omega says it has been forced to concentrate its fishing efforts in the lower Chesapeake because so many other Atlantic states have banned industrial menhaden fishing.


I couldn't imagine why.


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## bttrthanandrew (Jun 2, 2005)

*menhaden*

Im very pleased to see action is being taken, if only greenpeace could be there every day of the week during the season.


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2005)

HAHAHA.....good for Greenpeace!


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## Advisor (Jan 12, 2003)

I hate to even think that I agree with Greenpeace; but, in this case, I do.
There has to be some reason why other states have banned the harvest of menhaden. I wonder who is paying our state representative to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. That may tell us why he's fighting the cap.
Hay Tom!! Ya got any info on this?


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

There's an old saying: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I think there's a tendency among some of us to lump all of these groups together: PETA, Greenpeace, DOW, the Sierra Club. But the fact is, some of these groups have *never* opposed the rights of recreational fishermen, Greenpeace among them. In fact, they were one of the first groups to try to shut down commercial fishing operations that were devastating some areas. (Heck, several members of the crew of one of their boats list fishing as a favorite hobby) You make your friends where you can find them.

What's really interesting about this menhaden issue is the way it has entered popular consciousness. I even saw it mentioned in a West Coast paper the other day.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

greenpeace...thanks for trying...comando tactics will not work...the French even sunk the "Rainbow Warrior"...what we need are laws and the state to step up...VA has always bowed to the big and wealthy...it worked in it time...but times change...they will KILL the things that make us what we are...even queen meyra has stopped development between oceana and fentress...first time for everything...


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

I dunno, Rattler. I'm kinda with flea on this. I've always been pretty cool with Greenpeace in that they "interfere", but don't get violent...unlike those ELF and ALF and EarthFirst folks. To do what they did was perfectly legal and safe, while bringing the attention of the issue to tons of people. Nationwide, and maybe even worldwide. They are experts in raising awareness of issues like this.

To get Omega to even make a statement like Hawk highlighted is all part of the gig.

Hmmm, I too, wonder why it's banned in SO many other states............


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Bubba, we're on the same page.

I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but their protest did more for the bunker issue than 1,000 of us sitting around and griping on the internet. We complained; they did something.

That's not to say that I always agree with their methods or causes. They're definitely on the fringe. But they stopped thousands of bunker from being wiped out. They got Omega to admit they're *HAMMERING* the lower bay because they've been kicked out everywhere else. I'd say that's an achievement, no matter what you think of their politics.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

Advisor,

From the ASMFC web site, the representives at ASMFC are:

William A. Pruitt
VMRC
2600 Washington Avenue, Third Floor
Newport News, VA 23607-4317
Phone: 757/247-2206
FAX: 757/247-2020


Catherine Davenport
1005 Poplar Neck Road
White Stone, VA 22578
Phone: 804/435-2173


Senator John Chichester
Virginia State Senate
PO BOX 904
Fredericksburg, VA 22404
Phone: 540/373-5600
FAX: 540/373-5624

Bill Pruitt is the head of VMRC. Catherine Davenport owns (or used to a few years ago) wholesale operation. Senator Chichester's district includes Reedville. I understand that folks frequently go to the meeting as Senator Chichester's proxy. I do not know how often folks from Omega are those folks.

Part of VMRC's mission is to: Promulgate regulations, including those for taking seafood, necessary to promote the general welfare of the seafood industry and to conserve and promote the seafood and marine resources of the Commonwealth. The Commission may also promulgate regulations necessary for the conservation and reasonable use of surf clams. 

But of course they are not allowed to make rules regarding the purse seine industry.

Tom


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Tom, who is Virginia's representative on the ASMFC? From the above: _Virginia's representative on the commission has been fighting efforts to impose a cap. _


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

Each state has three representives. Somewhere on the ASMFC web site is minutes of each meeting. Burried in the minutes it probably says who is the proxy for whom.

They vote among themselves and the majority is that state's vote. If there are only two there and there is a tie or a 1-1-1 where the third vote is an abstention, a null vote is cast.

Tom


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## FishinNCowboys (Aug 10, 2005)

*Whats next the fishing piers*

well with the hundreds of fish pulled out of the beaches of hampton roads it has to account for thousands of pounds of fish a year. I guess they are going to wait for you to hook a fish and then they will grab onto the line to give the fish a fighting chance, I mean they dont belong to us right??  So whats the big deal about these fish and how come Virginia is the only place Omega can catch them, sounds fishy to me, I mean last time i checked Virginia is not exactly the seafood source of the world right??? But money in the Common Wealth will get you along way!!


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

I got the chance to see the Greenpeace video of the incident described in the Daily Press story above. I tried to get the web guys here at the station to put the video on our web site. It didn't happen, but I'll try again Thursday.  
The video showed an Omega boat putting the menhaden from the nets into the bowels of the boat. Quite an eye opener. 
The ASMFC vote later this month (Aug. 19??) should be interesting. I wish I could make it to Alexandria for the meeting. 
Tom, what's the deal with Omega Protein lobbyist Niels Moore having a seat on the ASMFC menhaden board? Isn't that a slight conflict of interest? 
I guess we can thank Sen. John Chichester for that one?


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## bttrthanandrew (Jun 2, 2005)

*ignorant*

damn fishin cowboy, where have you been fishing the last 2 or 3 years, you really must be clueless as to whats goin on, the big deal with these fish is there gonna be gone soon and the bay is gonna turn into more of a shithole than it is, omega needs to be stopped or pushed offshore so the menhaden can replenish and restore the bay water to how clean it used to be, dont u ever wonder why there arent any big blues in the bay anymore or why all the rockfish look skinny and sick, take you head outta your ass.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

Cowboy, Omega's hauls make Reedville the 3rd biggest port in United States in regards to tons of seafood harvested annually...that is huge my man.


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## Chad (Apr 26, 2004)

If the menhaden are being used for dietary supplements or animal feed then that hardly makes them "seafood". The seafood industry is the retail and restaraunt sale of seafood, not anything caugfht form the sea and then turned into animal feed or dietary supplements, what gives?
Chad


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