I fully support the petition.  I believe VMRC’s current management of the Atlantic menhaden reduction fishery violates Virginia Code 28.2-203. 

Specifically, this Code requires the VMRC to prepare management plans that will provide optimum yield for “greatest overall benefit to the Commonwealth, with particular reference to commercial fishing for food production and to recreational fishing… Conservation and management measures shall be based upon the best scientific, economic, biological, and sociological information available… Conservation and management measures shall not discriminate among user groups. … allocation shall be (i) fair and equitable to all fishermen; (ii) reasonably calculated to promote conservation; and (iii) carried out in such manner that no person acquires an excessive share of such privileges;”

VMRC’s current management of menhaden does not consider the greatest economic benefit, biological and or sociological information available. VMRC’s current management of menhaden ignores the continued public requests to move this fishery out of the bay into the Ocean. Moreover, VMRC’s current management of menhaden does not account for the greater economic benefit provided by recreational fishing, as well as the biological impacts of this fishery on Ospreys and other components of the ecosystem.S