For the last 147 years of the Menhaden Purse Seine fishery VMRC was not allowed to make any regulations pertaining to this fishery as it had been placed in the hands of the Virginia Legislature.

Now that the VMRC has had control of this fishery for several years now it is time to bring this fishery into the 21st century by instigating regulations that enforce the design criteria of Purse Seine nets in Virginia’s waters.

VMRC has already embraced many restrictions as to any operation on the water that disturbs or destroys SAV (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation) and the other issues pertaining to the incorrect use of a Purse Seine net as listed in the Petition.

It is simply time to apply these items to a fishery that hasn’t had any gear regulations enforcing these types of issues, via the VMRC, for the last 147 years.

This petition is only looking for gear type restriction to put the industry into accepted fishery requirements and is not trying to ban the Chesapeake Bay from their operations.