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Post by fishnfool on Oct 23, 2020 21:05:20 GMT -5
I just read an article that the rockfish hatch numbers are way down and despite all of the regulations. There was some acknowledgement that this seems to be a cyclical phenomenon among migratory fish as others species are seeing similar numbers.
The elephant in the room mentioned nowhere in the article - OMEGA
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Post by hookedup on Oct 24, 2020 7:16:39 GMT -5
From what I've read striper/rockfish don't eat menhaden the first few years. Once they come of size it's their preferred food. However, it's only the large striper that spawn and we've had less and less of those. So, fixing the problem will take years. I'm hoping this is the first step toward a return of stripers. Guess we'll know in another 3-5 years.
I'd love to blame Omega for the problem (and I have), but it's really the Virginia state legislatures problem. They let Omega rape the Chesapeake Bay in order to get the farm and fertilizer vote and 'donations'. Also, they don't have a plan for Reedville if Omega were to start laying off people. I think Virginia is the only east coast state allowing menhaden to be taken in state waters (Chesapeake Bay in particular).
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Post by fishnfool on Oct 24, 2020 9:28:13 GMT -5
If there is no/depleted biomass for migratory fish to feed on, there are fewer/to no migratory fish to migrate up the bay to spawn thereby negatively impacting reproduction numbers.
Small resident fish feed on peanut bunker that hatch in creeks and estuaries in the middle bay - mid bay is a menhaden nursery. If the breeding stock of menhaden are getting caught by Omega in the ocean at the mouth of the bay, that's fewer mature menhanden migrating up the bay to spawn, so logic would dictate fewer peanut bunker. That's why the big rockfish are not coming up the bay in numbers anymore - depleted stock of migrating mature menhanden.
Nevermind the impact of bycatch has on thebreeding stock of rockfish.
Is it the sole reason for the stock decline stock, no, but I believe it to be one of the biggest reasons, but because of politics, money, corrupt bureaucrats it has been largely ignored for years.
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