The controversial Omega Protein may have succeeded in securing MSC certification last month for the Atlantic menhaden fishery, but it now faces the potential of having its ability to harvest there at least temporarily taken away or reduced. Omega Protein nearly catches all of Virginia’s menhaden quota and voluntarily admitted it was going to intentionally exceed the threshold. The Atlantic State Fisheries Commissions (ASFC’s) menhaden management board voted unanimously to find the US state of Virginia out of compliance with its total acceptable catch limit of 51,000 metric tons for the Chesapeake Bay in 2019.
