BAITFISH—MENHADEN—ALEWIVES

  Alewives grow up to 15 inches, are silver in color with a greenish back, and like their cousins, the menhaden, have a spot on their "shoulders". They range along all of the Atlantic coast of the United States and also occur in landlocked populations.

  YEP! THEY ARE AT A DECLINE !!! Why??? Let’s look at it this way. About 20 or 30 years ago there were so many alewives in the bay that fish kill seemed to be a normal occurrence. The cause of the fish kill was speculated to be lack of oxygen. Who knows, it could have been Pfiesteria.  We never heard of that word 20 years ago. I do remember the stench which lasted too long for anyone living on the water.

  Today, there are so many user groups and uses for the Menhaden that their decline is here unless immediate action is taken with restrictions and better control of this specie. User groups are crabbers for their crab pots; fishermen bait and chum; (at times Pfiesteria) and fish processing plants. Virginia is one of the causes of menhaden decline in Maryland waters because their fish processing plants and fleet of menhaden fishing boats in Reedville, Virginia. These processing plants produce animal and poultry food as well as cooking oil from this specie. These baitfish are a source of food for many specie considered as sportfish such as Rockfish and Bluefish. In the spring of the year - menhaden, shad and herring come from the ocean into the bay and its tributaries to spawn. Menhaden is not only taken in Virginia but up and down the East coast. The declining supply of baitfish will definitely cause the Rockfish to be in a serious problem again. Studies seem to indicate that lesions on Rockfish is caused from lack of food (baitfish). I can understand that; a fish that is starving is going to be a weak, sick fish just like any other living thing.

  How can Marylanders expect any fish to survive in the bay without baitfish. Let’s hope the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) takes control of this baitfish problem before all our resources are depleted and all that remains is a dead bay. We should all use our natural resources conservatively and not abuse it to total extinction.