Protect menhaden
and Chesapeake Bay
Tell the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to protect Chesapeake Bay menhaden by supporting strong reforms though Addendum II.
Join the movement to protect menhaden and the Chesapeake Bay. Every signature counts–add your voice now!
What Addendum II Options to Support?
3.1 Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap Amount.
Support option 3.1.C1e. This option achieves a 50% reduction to the Bay Cap and then will change the Cap when the overall coastwide catch limit changes. Essentially, the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishery harvests could never be more than 13.6% of the Coastwide Catch Limit (TAC).
Sub-Options for setting an upper and lower limit for the Bay Cap.
Support option 3.1.C2a, which sets an upper limit of 51,000 mt and a lower limit of 0 mt.
3.2 Chesapeake Bay Cap Distribution.
Support option 3.2.1.B2, which would create three even length quota periods but uneven harvest levels. This option would create stronger menhaden protections in the late spring and summer–when the warning signs have been more pronounced–and shift reduction fishing effort later in the season.
Put another way, this option would divvy the Bay Cap into three equal length quota periods and distribute the Cap harvest by 25%, 25%, 50% for each period.
Also, Support option 3.2.2.B Quota Period overage payback with rollover of unused quota within a fishing year.
3.3 Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap Revisit Provision.
Support option 3.3B2, which would direct the ASMFC to consider changes to the Bay Cap every three years. Reassessing the efficacy of new management strategies and considering potentially new science through a formal revisit process is a common-sense measure for responsible Chesapeake Bay management.
How to Comment on Draft Addendum II?
CBF Action Alert
Join The Chesapeake Bay Foundation in calling on the ASMFC to approve those options for a healthier Chesapeake Bay! CLICK HERE
Directly through the ASMFC
Want to provide more detailed or personalized comments (great!), you can submit a comment to comments@asmfc.org OR utilize ASMFC’s survey.
Want to Learn More?
Read CBF’s blog analyzing Draft Addendum II
This blog goes into greater detail on how these options were selected and why they are critical for protecting the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and its menhaden population.
Attend one of CBF’s Menhaden Learning Sessions – Click Here
Attend a Public Hearing or Webinar
The ASMFC is hosting numerous public hearings for Draft Addendum II in-person and virtual–click on this link for the schedule!
Also, CBF is hosting educational events to discuss Addendum II and how to provide effective comments–sign up here!
Reach out to the campaign team
Contact us today at savemenhaden@cbf.org.
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