Menhaden debate pits Chesapeake Bay conservation concerns against fears of job losses

A regional fisheries board is considering changes to the annual menhaden catch limit in Chesapeake Bay, including keeping the current 51,000-metric-ton cap, cutting it by up to half or linking it to a coastwide limit. Conservation advocates say lower catches could support striped bass and osprey, while fishing interests warn that restrictions could cost Virginia jobs. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is discussing the draft plan Nov. 10 and 11.