Governor Martin O’Malley released the following statement Friday arding the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) decision to reduce the future harvest of menhaden. Governor Martin O’Malley said:
“Today, the most important fish in the sea – the Atlantic menhaden – received the recognition it deserves. I want to commend the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for agreeing to reduce the harvest of Atlantic menhaden by 20 percent in 2013. After overfishing Atlantic menhaden for 52 of the past 54 years, resulting in historical low levels of abundance, overfishing will end and Atlantic menhaden will be given an opportunity to rebuild its population.
“Today’s actions by ASMFC goes beyond menhaden. Maryland’s many other fish and marine mammals − the striped bass, bluefish, weakfish, dolphins, ospreys and bald eagles − will also benefit as they use Atlantic menhaden as a primary food source.
“Please join me in congratulating our State and Federal partners on ASMFC, Maryland’s members of ASMFC, fisheries scientists and managers at the Department of Natural Resources, and the many organizations and citizens who were active participants in the ASMFC management process.”
