RICHMOND—On February 15, Gov. Ralph Northam introduced legislation to bring Virginia into compliance with management decisions made by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) with respect to menhaden fishing.
Along with the legislation, patroned by District 81 Del. Barry Knight of Virginia Beach, Gov. Northam sent a letter to District 14 Del. Danny Marshall of Danville, chairman of the House committee on agriculture, Chesapeake and natural resources.
House Bill 1610 is similar to House Bill 822 which was left in the committee at cross over.
According to Virginia’s Legislative Information System, lis.virginia.gov., the bill would adjust the annual total allowable landings for menhaden downward from 168,937.75 metric tons to 168,213.16 metric tons and provide that any portion of the coast-wide total allowable catch that is relinquished by a state that is a member of the (ASMFC) shall be redistributed to Virginia and other states according to the commission’s allocation guidelines.
The bill would adjust the annual harvest cap for the purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay downward from 87,216 metric tons to 51,000 metric tons…
