"The most important fish in the sea"

[Joe D]

Atlantic menhaden, often called "the most important fish in the sea," have reached a turning point. These fish play a critical role in the marine food web as prey for striped bass, bluefish, tuna, whales, porpoises, seabirds, and other wildlife. But the essential role menhaden play in the marine ecosystem is now at risk.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has taken a historic first step to restore the menhaden population by laying out a plan that could significantly increase the number left in the ocean, finally taking into account the needs of their predators.


Urge ASMFC to take action to restore menhaden to a level that can sustain healthy predators and a healthy marine environment. Atlantic Menhaden Campaign - Pew Environment Group

 

[golden beetle]

I'm not quite sure how this relates to
Fly Fishing.

But have at it, Joe d.

I find it pretty interesting, despite it's questionable relevance.

 

[Joe D]

GB,

Many fish, if not all of the Northeast inshore species that fly fishermen target in saltwater, rely on menhaden (bunker) as a forage fish. They are like what a healthy population of aquatic insects are to a trout stream.

More bunker on the beach, more stripers and blues feeding on them.

 

[JCapo]

Another really important aspect about Bunker is that they are filter feeders. The more bunker that spawn up the delaware and raritan bays, the cleaner they stay thanks to the bunker feeding and cleaning the water. So everything in the bay benefits from higher bunker population. Plus, ever seen some big stripers working a pod of bunker along the beach? Just awesome.

Can't wait for the fall run.

 

[trico mike]

While it is a great thing that the bunker are going to receive more protection it a;so means more snag and droppers and more big breeders being taken out of an already crashing striper population. As far as the fall run you only need to look at the graphs and numbers to realize the striper fishery is in severe decline. I have been managing some good bass latley but nothing like years past. Since about 06 it has only been getting worse. Fishery managers need to act now before it is too late. I would hate to see the day that there is tons of bunker on the beach but no bass to eat them. At the age of 37 I am too young to rember the lean years but my father tells me stories of the time when there was no bass around, plugging the beach all season for a dozen or so bass. We have to learn from the past so we don't repeat the mistakes again. I know I'm always bitching about this but something needs to be done. First we need to have catch and release only fishing and we also need to clean up the basses spawning grounds so more fish have a chance to survive. If you look at the population now it is way out of balance. Were are all the small fish? I can go on for hours about this but I feel I'm just pissing in the wind.

 

[Stimulator]

Make sure you click the link in Joe D's post and then click the link on the website to sign the petition. (email campaign in reality) All those bottles of Fish Oil capsules in the drug store used to be menhaden and most of them are harvested out of the Chesapeake Bay.

 

[Joe D]

Mike,

While it's true the potential that more snag & drop fishing could take place if there were more bunker to snag, an increase in the bunker population wouldn't be the cause. The cause would be from unethical fishing practices.

You touched on some very important points regarding spawning fish and their habitat. The ability for striped bass to survive, as with other fish, is multifaceted and spawning habitat is critical. All the spawning habitat in the world doesn't mean a thing if there are no or few fish to spawn. I agree the fishery should be catch & release, especially pre-spawn. Mandatory circle hooks should be required for all bait fishing making snag & drop much more difficult if not possible/impracticable.

Commercial fishing needs to be reigned in too. The practice in NC last year where commercial fishermen legally culled thousands of fish to keep their biggest allowed fifty was terrible. I believe NC is working to eliminate the practice if they haven't already done so. Other states eliminated commercial fishing only to redistribute the commercial harvest to recreational fisherman in the form of bonus tags doesn't reduce the total harvest and should be ended.

Restoring the bunker populations, which are less than 10% of what they were, is a critical step in restoring balance to coastal fish populations. I hope you'll urge ASMFC to take action to restore bunker to a level that can sustain healthy predator fish populations by sending an email to ASMFC made easy by following this link: Atlantic Menhaden Campaign - Pew Environment Group You won't be pissing in the wind.

 

[trico mike]

There needs to be a louder voice in the whole striper dilema. Stripers forever is a great organization but it just not seem to be enough. Also recreational fishermen all need to be on the same page. Alot of guys who run charter boats want to be able to keep fish to keep their clients happy even though they know what it is doing to the stocks. I saw a cool documentary about the bluefin tuna the otherday. The japanese fishermen know that over fishing is the main reason for the tuna disappearing but they still go out for them because of the money and the demand. IT was called sushi to slaughter. Although it was about the blue fin it can be related to the striper or any other failing fish speceis. People know what they are doing but won't stop because of the money involved.

 

[Joe D]

Stripers Forever is a good voice and it's FREE to join. Really no excuse for anyone, whether you fish for striped bass or not, to become a member. All you need is a desire to see a game fish species protected along with its environment.