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[Editor^s note: The declining population of menhaden in some Maryland^s rivers has forced sport^s anglers to change their tactics on some species. This indicates an absence of what was the primary forage fish in the Chesapeake Bay.]
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will hold a public hearing concerning modifications to their Atlantic Menhaden Fisheries Management Plan, on Sept. 13, at 7 p.m., at the Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Ave., in Annapolis. Proposed modifications include: changes in management structure of the Board/Committee, an investigation into the role menhaden play in the ecosystem, incorporation of an overfishing definition, and rebuilding targets as needed.
As a result of concerns about the status of the menhaden population, and their role in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has encouraged the ASMFC to conduct this reevaluation.
The ASMFC was formed by the 15 Atlantic coastal states in 1942 for the promotion and protection of coastal fishery resources.
Uploaded: 9/9/1999
Uploaded: 9/9/1999