Critical Menhaden Science Funding Falls Short Again in Virginia

February 20, 2025

Recreational angling, boating, and conservation community disappointed that state legislative efforts to fund menhaden science in the Chesapeake Bay failed in session

(RICHMOND, Va.)— During the 2025 legislative session, Virginia lawmakers again failed to approve multiple efforts from both sides of the aisle to provide funding for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to complete a three-year study of the ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance of the menhaden population in the waters of the Commonwealth. Three separate efforts to fund the research through the state budget, for which the conference report was released by legislators this week, were squashed in this year’s session. The efforts were opposed by Omega Protein, the only reduction fishing company operating in Virginia.

Delegate Paul Milde (R-64) first introduced House Bill 2713, which would have directed the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, in collaboration with VIMS, to conduct the menhaden study. In addition, an amendment to the state’s biennial budget, falling under HB 1600 as Item 148 #4h, sought to earmark funding separately for the same study. Both efforts were stopped in the House without a hearing. A third effort, spearheaded by Delegate Betsy Carr (D-78), which would have provided the first year of funding for the study directly to VIMS as a “research collaboration,” was removed during final budget negotiations with the Senate.

Atlantic menhaden, the target of Virginia’s largest commercial fishery, are a small, schooling fish harvested to be turned into fishmeal and fish oil products through a process known as “reduction” fishing. Due to their high oil content, menhaden – also called bunker – serve as the base of the marine food chain in Virginia, feeding iconic predators like striped bass, bluefish, and ospreys, especially inside the Chesapeake Bay. Currently, there is little data available related to how many menhaden are within the Bay throughout the year, or how reduction fishing affects the Bay’s fragile ecosystem.

“Although Atlantic menhaden are managed on a coastwide basis, there remains a lack of specific data related to how many menhaden are present within the Chesapeake Bay itself and the effects of removing them through large-scale industrial harvest,” said Chris Macaluso, director of the Center for Marine Fisheries for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “We greatly appreciate the efforts of Delegates Milde and Carr for trying to help fish and wildlife managers at the state and regional level. Unfortunately, other Virginia lawmakers weren’t willing to support those efforts again this year, but recreational fishing advocates and a wide range of fisheries conservationists remain strongly committed to pushing for the science needed to properly manage the fisheries in Chesapeake Bay.”

Representatives from Omega Protein, Virginia’s lone menhaden reduction harvester and a subsidiary of Canadian-owned Cooke Seafood, initially supported and participated in the development of the unfunded VIMS study in summer 2023. However, during the 2024 legislative session, they opposed a bill similar to the one introduced this session.

Omega representatives also stalled efforts by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in 2021 to conduct research on the impacts of menhaden reduction fishing in Chesapeake Bay by not sharing their harvest data with fisheries managers.

“This is not just bad news for fishermen, but bad news for a Chesapeake Bay ecosystem that continues to scream warnings about menhaden,” said Chris Moore, Virginia executive director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “For years, we’ve lacked the baseline knowledge we need to establish robust and lasting sustainability for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, only one foreign-owned entity continues to stand in the way of good science and that is Omega Protein, the largest harvester of menhaden on the Atlantic Coast.”

A coalition of 17 national and regional recreational angling, boating, and conservation groups signed a letter in support of this year’s legislative efforts. In addition, more than 24,000 Virginians and other conservationists concerned with Chesapeake fisheries have recently signed a petition by TRCP and CBF, asking Virginia decision-makers to support and protect the Chesapeake Bay and recreational fishing opportunities by funding the science necessary to manage this critical fish.

“It’s very concerning that our lawmakers are listening to lobbyists and prioritizing the profits of the Canadian menhaden industry over the health of the Chesapeake Bay,” said Steve Atkinson, chairman, Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association.

“Restoring authority to manage the Bay’s menhaden fishery to qualified fisheries managers was finally achieved after years of effort by Virginia’s conservation community. In order to execute the recovery of this keystone species, a robust study of the fishery’s populations is both critical and necessary,” said Pat Calvert, director, Water & Land Conservation Programs, Virginia Conservation Network. “This opportunity is not promised in the future.”

“I am not surprised that the few who benefit from the current management plans don’t want a study like this to be completed,” said Brett Fitzgerald, executive director, Angler Action Foundation. “Once the public sees how local economies would benefit from improved menhaden management, it will be much more difficult for the status quo to continue.”

More information about the importance of Atlantic menhaden is available on TRCP’s Forage Fish Recovery Page.

Images courtesy CosmoVision Media

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by: Noah Davis

posted in: Press Releases

February 13, 2025

TRCP Launches Public Land Access Webpage

New webpage is an educational resource for hunters and anglers concerned with federal public land transfer or sale

Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership announced their Public Land Access webpage, an educational resource for hunters, anglers, and all Americans who take pride in their public lands and are concerned with the threat of federal public land transfer or sale.

Spurred by Utah’s August 2024 petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to transfer Bureau of Land Management acres to state ownership, the TRCP made their position clear that the organization opposes the blanket sale or transfer of federal public lands to states.

America’s 640 million acres of national public lands – including our National Forests and Bureau of Land Management lands – provide irreplaceable hunting and fishing opportunities to millions of Americans. Federally managed public lands are the backbone of America’s outdoor recreation industry, which contributed $639.5 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product in 2023.

In January 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Utah’s petition, marking another major win for public land hunting, fishing, and access. However, this was not the first attempt to force the sale or transfer of federal public lands, and unfortunately, it will not be the last. In the 2025 state legislative sessions that have just begun, legislators in several Western states have already voted in support of resolutions aimed at forcing federal agencies to transfer their lands.

The Public Land Access webpage details the unintended financial impacts of federal land transfer, the history of public land transfer attempts, and the intricacies of state trust land management. Visitors also have the opportunity to take action and sign a petition to keep public lands and wildlife in public hands.

To learn more about the threat of federal public land transfer or sale and to sign the petition, visit the webpage HERE.

Photo credit: Josh Metten

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

by: Noah Davis

posted in: Press Releases

January 24, 2025

TRCP Applauds Reintroduction of Bipartisan Public Land, Migration Bills

Bills would strengthen public lands and help conserve big game migration corridors

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership cheers the reintroduction of two priority bills aimed at maintaining access to public lands and conserving big game migrations.

The Public Lands in Public Hands Act, first introduced in the 118^th Congress by Representatives Zinke (R-Mont.) and Vasquez (D-N.M.), would require congressional approval for the sale and transfer of public lands to non-federal entities in most instances. The biggest impact of the bill would be to prevent the Bureau of Land Management from selling important access parcels as part of its land disposal process, which would effectively maintain valuable hunting and fishing access for sportsmen and sportswomen.

“Millions of American sportsmen and sportswomen depend on public lands for their hunting and fishing access,” said Joel Webster, chief conservation officer with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP appreciates the leadership of Representatives Zinke and Vasquez to prevent the sale or transfer of our valued public lands by reintroducing the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.”

The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act, first introduced in the 118^th Congress by Representatives Zinke (R-Mont.) and Beyer (D-Va.) and Senators Padilla (D-Calif.) and Hoeven (R-N.D.), would formally authorize existing federal programs initiated by the Department of the Interior during the Trump Administration through Secretarial Order 18-3362, signed by then Secretary Zinke, to conserve big game migration corridors. These programs were supported by the Biden Administration but remain discretionary. Congressional action to formalize these discretionary programs guarantees that the work will persist regardless of future administration changes. This is important because state and Tribal wildlife agency annual budgets are unable to meet the full demand for wildlife management. The financial and technical assistance from these federal programs would help to bridge that gap and also provide resources to private landowners for voluntary conservation actions.

“The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act had broad bipartisan support in both chambers during the 118^th Congress, and we look forward to working with the original bill sponsors to see it passed into law in the 119^th,” said Madeleine West, VP of western conservation with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “America’s hunters and anglers will benefit from this common-sense, bipartisan bill that promotes collaborative conservation to ensure big game abundance.”

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to public hunting and fishing access HERE, and TRCP’s commitment to migration HERE.

by: Madeleine West

posted in: Press Releases

January 17, 2025

Greater Sage Grouse Land Use Planning Complete in Colorado and Oregon

TRCP urges the BLM to work with states to expeditiously complete remaining plans.

Recently, the Bureau of Land Management signed records of decision for greater sage grouse plan amendments in Colorado and Oregon, two of the 10 Western states where plans are being updated in response to a court ruling.

“For more than a decade, state agencies have worked in an unprecedented collaboration with the BLM to revise management plans to conserve over 67 million acres of sagebrush habitat,” said Madeleine West, vice president of Western conservation for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The completion of plans in Colorado and Oregon is great progress toward ending the cycle of planning so that agency staff and resources can move back to where it needs to be -on species and land management to benefit the sagebrush ecosystem and Western communities that rely on it.” 

In November 2024, the BLM issued final plans across the 10 state range of the greater sage grouse (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) and has been working since that time to resolve administrative protests and consistency reviews by several Governors.

“With these new plans, the BLM has removed some poison pills that existed in the 2015 plans, retained important changes included in the plans finalized in 2020 to respect state authorities, and incorporated updated science to reflect an improved understanding of ecosystem needs over the last decade,” added West.  “We hope the Trump Administration will pick up this work quickly and collaborate with the remaining states to finalize all the plans in a manner that creates durable management in a consistent manner across the remaining range of the species.”

The TRCP has been on the front lines of sage grouse conservation for years. The decline of this iconic game bird of the American West indicates that sagebrush habitat is in trouble, and that matters for sportsmen and women because the sagebrush ecosystem is home to more than 350 different species of plants and animals, including such iconic game species as pronghorn and mule deer.

For more information about the plans, click HERE.

by: Alex Funk

posted in: Press Releases

Sporting Groups and Partners Cheer Conservation Investment in the Rio Grande Headwaters

New federal funding will support enhanced fish and wildlife habitat while tackling challenges faced by fish, wildlife, and communities along the Rio Grande in Colorado and New Mexico

Today, the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation today announced a $24.9 million investment to support water conservation and habitat restoration efforts in the headwaters of the Rio Grande. These new federal resources will ensure greater resilience to drought and water security for Colorado and New Mexico communities while significantly enhancing the quality of fish and wildlife habitat in the region for future generations of hunters and anglers.

“Today’s announcement provides a critical downpayment that will make the headwaters of the Rio Grande better prepared to handle the ongoing impacts of drought, while supporting state and local efforts to sustainably manage water supplies for future generations,” said Alexander Funk, TRCP director of water resources. “Further, this announcement shows that when Colorado and New Mexico work together, big things can happen that benefit fish and wildlife, support local economies, and tackle some of the region’s most pressing water challenges.”

The Rio Grande is a vital resource for the region—it provides water for agriculture, which remains the backbone of the economy, communities, Pueblos, acequias, and iconic fish and wildlife, including the Rio Grande cutthroat trout and migratory waterfowl. Yet the Rio Grande is amid a long-term drought, which has placed considerable strain on surface and groundwater resources in the region. The funding announced today will help to provide a critical downpayment on addressing these challenges by investing in state and locally led efforts to encourage sustainable surface and groundwater management, update aging water storage and delivery infrastructure, and benefit fish and wildlife habitat by restoring wetlands and riparian areas.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership worked in partnership with the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, Conejos Water Conservancy District, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, Colorado Open Lands, Santa Clara Pueblo, Middle Rio Grande Water Conservation District, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, Colorado Water Conservation Board, National Wildlife Federation, American Rivers, Amigos Bravos, and others in developing and securing this federal funding for the Upper Rio Grande.

“We are thrilled to see this funding go towards these critical projects in Colorado. We are particularly proud to have played a role in assisting these projects in securing funding through Colorado Water Conservation Board funding programs including our Federal Technical Assistance Grant Program, Projects Bill funding and Water Plan Grants,” said Lauren Ris, Colorado Water Conservation Board Director, “By building upon the capacity of our local partners, we provide extra resources and guidance to navigate complex federal funding processes.”

“This funding will expand the Department’s ongoing efforts to restore riparian habitats, enhance fish passage for Species of Greatest Conservation need, and maintain outdoor recreational opportunities for New Mexicans – now and into the future,” said Michael Sloane, Director, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “We are thrilled to continue to work with our federal, state, and private partners to get these funds on the ground to benefit fish, wildlife and habitat that supports them.”

“The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is excited to partner with the Corrales farming community to invest in durable solutions to address infrastructure constraints and water supply shortages in their service area” said Jason M. Casuga, P.E., CEO and Chief Engineer of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. “This innovative partnership is vital for the sustainability of the Corrales farm economy and area food security.”

“This funding is a critical investment in healthy rivers and communities in the Upper Rio Grande – an often overlooked but vital watershed for drinking water, agriculture, and wildlife. The projects supported by these funds will confront and solve long-term challenges in supplying clean, safe, reliable drinking water, improving water quality for wildlife and agriculture, and reducing risks across the region from drought and overuse,” said Emily Wolf, Rio Grande Coordinator, American Rivers. “We are proud to support this work, and our local partners, in securing this funding, and applaud the Bureau of Reclamation in supporting this crucial step.”

“With $24.9 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Upper Rio Grande Basin will gain drought-resilient infrastructure, restored ecosystems, and advanced water management—ensuring sustainable water resources for generations to come,” said Amber Pacheco, Deputy General Manager, Rio Grande Water Conservation District.

“This funding will be a catalyst for our collective work to restore the health of the San Luis Valley’s rivers and aquifers, which will improve the Upper Rio Grande Basin’s resilience in the face of changing water supplies,” said Heather Dutton, Manager, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District. “The completion of these critical projects will make a difference for the community now and for future generations!”

“This investment will be critical for a number of headwater streams, improving the resilience of these watersheds as well as the mainstem of the Rio Grande in light of the climate stressors we are facing. The projects will benefit the communities who rely on the watersheds, acequias and traditional agriculture, and the wildlife who call this region home,” said Steven Fry, Projects and Policy Specialist, Amigos Bravos. “The Bureau of Reclamation and the Biden-Harris administration are demonstrating once again that investing in our local communities and watersheds throughout the Rio Grande remains a priority and we thank them for their continued leadership.”

“The Rio Grande is the underpinning that supports the economic and ecological health of the region. This funding allows conservation partners to critically address and relieve the challenges this habitat and community have experienced from long-term drought and sustainability insecurity,” said Tracy Stephens, senior specialist for riparian connectivity at The National Wildlife Federation. “We applaud the Bureau of Reclamation’s investment and recognition of the importance of riparian health and habitat connectivity. This funding is an important step forward in a collective effort to achieve well-connected and functional riparian corridors to protect the wellbeing of people, plants, and wildlife in the Upper Rio Grande.”

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to habitat and clean water HERE