27/07/2005 — On July 23,
fishermen, scientists and local residents
gathered in sailboats, canoes and kayaks to
spend a beautiful Saturday with us on the
Chesapeake Bay. But we weren’t at our nation’s
largest estuary to work on our suntans; we
were protesting a very big company, which
is causing an even bigger problem in our waters.
Throughout the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding
Atlantic waters, there lives a fish near the
bottom of the food chain called the menhaden.
It may not be as glamorous or beautiful as
whales or dolphins, but this tiny creature
supports an entire food chain and it is disappearing.
One company is to blame for the population’s
decline: Omega Protein. Omega is a Houston-based
company that makes fishmeal, and is responsible
for catching 70 percent of menhaden in the
entire country. Omega's state-of-the-art factory
ships locate and catch such large quantities
of the tiny menhaden, that the impacts are
being felt throughout the entire ecosystem.
We called for a halt to overfishing at Omega
Protein’s fish processing facility. Omega’s
employees couldn’t miss our 20-foot banner
with the message “Omega: Factory Fishing is
Overkill.”
All of the states along the East Coast couldn’t
agree more. Over the years, all but North
Carolina and Virginia have put a halt on industrial
fishing of menhaden. In fact, the Omega Protein
factory on the Chesapeake Bay is the last
remaining menhaden operation on the East Coast.
The menhaden is a tiny example of an enormous
problem. It's time to stop letting corporate
giants like Omega decide the future of our
oceans. If we don't stop unsustainable fishing
now, all of our ocean's creatures could suffer
the same fate.
Take Action!
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
is considering limits to the menhaden fishery,
and they want to hear from YOU. We need your
help to protect this little fish from a corporate
giant. Put a stop to Omega's rotten fishing
practices today.
